PREP FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS Harding, St. Ed primed for next 'classic game'

They will meet in the Division I regional semifinals for the third straight year.
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This is starting to become quite a rivalry. Or maybe, Lakewood St. Edward is just tired of seeing Warren Harding in the Division I football playoffs.
For the third straight season, they will meet in the regional semifinals, and for the third straight season Harding will be looking for a win.
The teams will play Saturday at 7 p.m. at Fawcett Stadium.
"That's a nice little northeast Ohio rivalry," Harding coach Thom McDaniels said. "We have respect for them. I'm certain they respect us."
Decisive performances
The Raiders (11-0) have eliminated St. Edward (8-3) the past two seasons with clutch performances by key individuals.
In the 2001 game, running back Maurice Clarett had 404 yards and five touchdowns in Harding's 42-26 victory at Kent State's Dix Stadium.
Then last season, Joe Spain kicked a 39-yard field goal with 5.2 seconds remaining as the Raiders won 18-16 at Byers Field in Parma.
The teams also played an overtime thriller in Week 5 of this season, with Harding winning 27-20 in Lakewood.
"We've had some classic games with them," said McDaniels, whose team lost in last season's state championship game. "I wouldn't expect this next one to be any less of one."
Harding advanced with a 49-7 victory over Solon, while St. Edward eliminated Strongsville 45-13.
Mahoning Valley matchup
One of this week's featured games takes place Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Bo Rein Stadium in Niles, where unbeaten South Range (11-0) will play Warren Kennedy (9-2) in a Div. V regional semifinal.
South Range advanced by scoring five touchdowns in its 35-21 victory over Independence, and the Raiders almost scored two more.
"For them to give up 35 points really surprised me," South Range coach Dan Yeagley said of the opening-round victory. "I thought this would have been more of a low-scoring ball game."
Either way, South Range kept its perfect season alive and will play a Warren Kennedy team coming off a 49-14 victory over Smithville.
Coach Tony Napolet's team bounced back in commanding fashion from its Week 10 loss to rival Howland. Quarterback John DiFiore ran for three touchdowns in the win.
Joining South Range and Warren Kennedy in the Div. V playoffs is eighth-seeded Lisbon, which ousted top seed Gates Mills Gilmour Academy 21-12.
The Blue Devils (10-1) will face Dalton (10-1), a 24-7 winner over Columbiana, in a regional semifinal Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Lowell Klinefelter Stadium in Canton.
Tigers rolling
Howland (10-1) took advantage of its first home playoff game in school history to defeat Twinsburg 24-17 in double overtime.
Tony Davis ran for 223 yards on 31 carries and two touchdowns as the Tigers won their 10th straight game.
They will play Copley (8-3), which defeated Parma Padua 27-14, in a Div. II regional semifinal Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Twinsburg Tiger Stadium.
"Our kids are committed to our program and they're held accountable to our program," Howland coach Dick Angle said of his team's success. "They're proud to be a Tiger. It means something."
They must feel the same way at Beaver Local (11-0). The Beavers, coached by Rich Wright, went unbeaten in the regular season and then dismantled Gallipolis Gallia Academy 38-13 in their Div. III playoff opener.
They will play Steubenville (11-0), a 31-7 winner over New Concord John Glenn, on Friday at 7:30 p.m. at Fitch Falcon Stadium.