PREP FOOTBALL Harding defense to be key Saturday

Raiders coach Thom McDaniels doesn't expect another high scoring contest with Massillon.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- Mario Manningham's biggest game of the season came against Massillon.
Still, Warren Harding High football coach Thom McDaniels doesn't want to make a big deal of it.
Why? Because Manningham, a sophomore, has been a contributor all season and any other Raider could have scored the four touchdowns in Harding's 31-27 victory on Oct. 19 at Mollenkopf Stadium.
To no one's surprise
"That was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time," McDaniels said. "He's played all season. He's been a leader on our punt and kickoff teams.
"People talk about Mario like he enrolled at Harding the Monday of the Massillon game."
If McDaniels' theory is correct, Manningham may not get the same opportunity in Harding's (13-0) rematch with Massillon (11-2), this time in a Division I state semifinal Saturday at the Rubber Bowl in Akron.
"I've been involved in lots of rematches," said McDaniels, the former coach at Canton McKinley. "As I go back through my memories and recall all those second meetings, more often than not the second games have been defensive-oriented."
Stressing defense
That would be just fine for the Raiders, who have gotten big plays from their defense all season.
"In the St. Ed's game, we were punting into the wind and they ended up getting the ball at [our] 20-yard line, and we held them to a field goal," senior safety Rob Massucci recalled. "That was big because it allowed us to keep it a close game and we won [18-16] at the end.
"In sudden changes, our defense holds up pretty well, especially in big games."
Like Harding, Massillon returned eight starters on defense, including senior linebacker Shawn Crable, a Division I-type college player.
The Tigers' offense is led by quarterback Matt Martin, receiver Devin Jordan and running back Ricky Johnson.
"They have some individual players who command media attention," McDaniels said, "but their offensive and defensive fronts are very impressive.
"Crable commands a lot of attention defensively and Devin Jordan and their quarterback command attention offensively."
One more time
It's ironic that Harding and Massillon are meeting for the second time this season. Prior to their regular season game in Week 9, the teams hadn't met since 1989.
McDaniels figured his team would see Massillon again. The Tigers were Region I's eighth and final seed, while Harding manned the No. 1 position.
"The only question was whether they'd qualify. It would have been a shame if they hadn't," McDaniels said. "They're the best team we've played."
And that should make for "the best" atmosphere.
"It was just unbelievable," Massucci recalled from their earlier meeting. "We were walking up for our pregame and there were people outside barbecuing -- a thousand people already -- and we didn't even have our pads on."
State site
The Rubber Bowl wasn't kind to the Raiders in 2001. They lost to Cleveland St. Ignatius in a regional final on the University of Akron turf, leaving bad memories. This year's seniors probably haven't forgotten.
"We have to take care of this game. Being this close, you don't go 13-0 and lose the 14th," Massucci said. "You've got to go all the way."
richesson@vindy.com