Expectations running high

The Warren Harding quarterback scored the game-winning touchdown in the statesemifinal win over Massillon.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- So what did Mike Kokal get for leading the Warren Harding High football team on a game-tying drive, and then scoring the winning touchdown last week against Massillon?
"I scolded the daylights out of him, for crying out loud," coach Thom McDaniels said. "He escaped sacks on occasion and he hit receivers in critical situations, but in that drive there were some major boo-boos he made."
Welcome to Raider football. Expectations are high, especially when your quarterback coach is also the head coach, as is the case with McDaniels.
In agreement
Told Tuesday after practice of McDaniels' assessment of his play late in the game, Kokal, a 6-foot-2, 183-pound senior, agreed.
"And I wasn't [at my best]," he said. "There's a lot of things I could have done differently.
"We scrutinize every play more than anyone else I've ever been around. That makes us better and better every week," said Kokal, who transferred from Warren JFK after his sophomore year. "God forbid, we end up winning this week and we come back next week and find something wrong."
Let's just pray that if Harding wins this week, the team will enjoy itself. The Raiders (14-0) will play Cincinnati Elder (13-1) for the Division I state title Saturday at Canton's Fawcett Stadium.
"Expectations are more from the community. It's a tough place to play," Kokal admitted. "Warren has great fans. They make you a better player because you know you've got to please a couple groups of people.
"You know when you don't have a good game and you know when you have a good game."
Clutch player
Kokal came through for the Raiders in last week's 21-20 state semifinal win over Massillon at the Rubber Bowl in Akron.
After Massillon scored with 1 minute, 11 seconds remaining to take a 14-7 lead, Kokal took advantage of good field position.
He led Harding 50 yards in seven plays, including a critical fourth-down pass to senior Danny Stella, before finding senior Treymayne Warfield on a 17-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds left.
"I made the pass to Trey in the end zone, but without Mario [Manningham's] return to the 50-yard line, we'd be turning in our pads," Kokal said.
While directing Harding to the game-tying score, Kokal avoided Massillon's rush. He then scored the winning touchdown on a 1-yard run in overtime.
"The thing you have to remember is we went through the entire game without getting sacked," Kokal said. "You've got to credit our offensive line for the job they did against a good defense."
The combination of his teammates working together, Kokal said, made his completions look good against the Tigers.
Consistency
Truth is, Kokal has been executing all season. He has completed 55 percent of his passes for 1,083 yards and eight touchdowns.
It started in his Week 3 rally against Strongsville and continued in the regional semifinal against St. Edward, where his 52-yard pass play to Manningham put the Raiders in position for junior Joe Spain's game-winning field goal.
Kokal has performed well all season in McDaniels' two-platoon system with senior quarterback Mike Phillips, who gives Harding more of a running threat.
"Last year we had Maurice [Clarett], so Mike and I got overlooked a little bit," Kokal said. "This year we came in knowing we were going to be the leaders on the field. This year it's become part of the game plan."
richesson@vindy.com