DIVISION I PLAYOFFS What a kick: WGH in final

Warren Harding beat Massillon for the second time, 21-20.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
AKRON -- Massillon's rich tradition has gone by the wayside. So have the bitter memories of the Rubber Bowl.
One year after its season ended on the same University of Akron field, the Warren Harding High football team redeemed itself in dramatic style.
Now, there's no turning back.
Senior quarterback Mike Kokal ran for a 1-yard touchdown in overtime and Massillon missed a key extra-point kick as Harding won 21-20 in a Division I state semifinal Saturday.
"We had talked to them about greatness, how it's not a frequent visitor to all of us," Harding coach Thom McDaniels said. "Greatness is looking for honesty, discipline and courage. If he sees that, he shakes your hand."
Meet Elder for title
The Raiders will play Cincinnati Elder for the school's third state championship next Saturday at Fawcett Stadium in Canton. Elder defeated Findlay in the other semifinal.
"It's huge to beat Massillon twice in one season," said McDaniels, after Harding defeated the Tigers 31-27 on Oct. 19 in Warren. "But none of it means anything if we don't finish the job against Elder."
Kokal directed Harding to a touchdown on its first overtime possession, which began at Massillon's 20. The drive ended with the quarterback surging into the end zone from 1 yard and junior Joe Spain kicking the extra point for a 21-14 lead.
Massillon seemed on its way to tying the score after senior quarterback Matt Martin found A.J. Collins from 11 yards. But junior kicker Max Shafer missed the extra point wide left, ending the game and giving the Raiders another amazing finish.
"My heart goes out to that boy," said McDaniels, who recalled the disappointment of his son once missing in a similar situation. "I wish it had not ended like that."
Series renewed
The Harding-Massillon rivalry was renewed this season after an absence since 1989. The Raiders had to rally to win that game.
Nothing changed Saturday. Massillon senior running back Ricky Johnson ran for a 6-yard touchdown with 1 minute, 11 seconds remaining in regulation to put the Tigers ahead 14-7.
Kokal was impressive in saving Harding's season. Showing his maturity and poise, the quarterback directed the Raiders 50 yards in seven plays and hit senior Treymayne Warfield on a 17-yard touchdown strike with 17 seconds remaining. Spain's extra point tied the score 14-14.
"We had first and 75 with 18 seconds left a couple of weeks ago," McDaniels said of his team's 18-16 win in the regional semifinal against Lakewood St. Edward. "So we felt pretty comfortable in that position."
Harding sophomore Mario Manningham, who scored four touchdowns against Massillon in the first meeting, had given the Raiders prime field position for their game-tying drive when he returned the kickoff 31 yards. Kokal took over from there.
"There's not a whole lot you can say," said Massillon coach Rick Shepas, a Cardinal Mooney High graduate. "We can learn from this adversity. Our fans can learn from this adversity."
In the first half, Harding's special teams put it in position for its first touchdown. Junior Thaddeus Walker returned a punt 53 yards to the Tigers' 35.
Eight plays later, senior Stefon Alexander stretched the ball over from the 1-yard line with 6:23 remaining in the first quarter, and Spain kicked the extra point.
Massillon respected Harding's special teams throughout the half. After Walker's return, the Tigers punted out of bounds on their next four attempts -- including once on third-and-18 from their own 15.
It wasn't what Raider fans, who rained choruses boos, wanted to see, especially after Manningham dented Massillon's hopes in the teams' first meeting with a punt and kickoff return for touchdowns.
Massillon tied the score 7-7 when Martin threw 9 yards to Collins in the left corner of the end zone. It culminated a 10-play drive with 3:40 remaining in the half and was aided by a pass interference penalty on senior cornerback Mike Phillips.