OHSAA PLAYOFFS Raiders can't overcome errors

Thirteen penalties and three lost fumbles contributed to a 21-13 loss to Lakewood St. Edward.
By BRIAN RICHESSON
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
CANTON -- On the same field where its 2002 season ended in the state championship game, the Warren Harding High football team couldn't overcome another obstacle Saturday.
Itself.
"In this game, we talk about the first opponent being ourselves; the second opponent is the game; and the third opponent is the team on the other sideline," Harding coach Thom McDaniels said.
"We didn't overcome ourselves tonight."
The nationally ranked Raiders committed 13 penalties and lost three fumbles in falling to Lakewood St. Edward 21-13 in a Division I regional semifinal at Fawcett Stadium.
Preparation
"I thought we were game-day ready. I did not have a bad feeling about my football team," McDaniels said. "Obviously we were not ready to play well enough, and I'm the guy who's responsible for that."
Harding (11-1) had beaten St. Edward (9-3) in the last two regional semifinals -- 42-26 in 2001 and 18-16 last year -- and earlier in the 2003 regular season, 27-20 in overtime.
Did seeing the Eagles again have any influence on Saturday's outcome?
"I don't want to believe it does. I've dealt with it a number of times in the past and more often than not, dealt with it successfully," McDaniels said. "They're a good football team. Everyone is at this point."
And St. Edward proved it.
The Eagles took a 21-0 lead on Anthony Gardner's second touchdown run of the game -- of 1 yard -- with 5 minutes, 6 seconds remaining in the third quarter and held off another Raider rally.
"I don't believe in that," St. Edward coach John Gibbons said, when asked about a curse against Harding.
"The coach doesn't have to say anything" in a game like this, he added. "The kids know. There's so much work to do, you just have to prepare the same football-wise."
Last chance
Trailing 21-13, Harding drove to St. Edward's 25-yard line with three minutes remaining, but senior quarterback Alex Engram, facing heavy pressure, threw incomplete. The ball sailed into and out of junior receiver Mario Manningham's hands.
The Raiders had closed the gap on Engram's 52-yard touchdown strike to senior Pete Sparks and a 4-yard touchdown run by senior Richard Davis, but they couldn't overcome their mistakes.
"The level of execution has to go hand in hand with effort and passion," McDaniels said. "Our level of execution was terribly sub-par tonight."
St. Edward earned a regional final berth next week against Mentor, which routed Cleveland St. Ignatius 31-0 in the other semifinal.
On the other side
The first half was a world of difference from a week ago at Mollenkopf Stadium, where Harding ran out to a 35-0 halftime lead against Solon.
Saturday, the Raiders' offense seemed frozen in the cold temperatures and their discipline lacked as they committed nine penalties for 70 yards.
Harding's offense struggled so much in the first half, it managed only to reach St. Edward's 39-yard line. The drive ended on fourth-and-11 when Engram shanked a punt that went 2 yards.
The punting unit was a problem for the Raiders, and it resulted in the only points scored in the first half.
St. Edward blocked the punt of Harding senior Joe Spain, with Neil Jereb picking up the bouncing football and running 11 yards for the touchdown with 9:11 remaining in the half.
"Going in, Joe Spain was going to get the second punt of the game," McDaniels said. "It was busted protection. It had nothing to do with the punter.
"It was one of the many mistakes we made."
Davis had 191 first-half yards and three touchdowns last week against Solon. He was held to 45 yards on 11 carries by St. Edward in the first half and finished with 62 yards on 17 carries.
richesson@vindy.com