PREP FOOTBALL Late-game heroics lift Harding past St. Edward in overtime

Richard Davis scored the game-winning touchdown in the 27-20 victory.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
LAKEWOOD -- Warren Harding's Thaddeus Walker stopped Lakewood St. Edward Haruki Nakamura a foot short of the goal line in overtime to preserve the Raiders' 27-20 victory Saturday at Lakewood Stadium.
Harding's Richard Davis score the go-ahead touchdown earlier in overtime on a 4-yard run and Joe Spain kicked the extra point for the Raiders (5-0), who have beaten St. Edward in the playoffs the past two seasons.
"Experienced teams accept mistakes and turnovers and rebound from them," said Warren Harding coach Thom McDaniels. "Tonight, we did that."
St. Edward (4-1) rallied to tie the score with 1:10 left in the fourth quarter after Harding's punter, Isaac Chaney, fumbled the snap at midfield.
The Eagles drove seven plays before Kyle Skoczen connected on a 4-yard scoring strike to Alex Spooner.
Skoczen then hit running back Damien Pride with the conversion pass to tie the score at 20-all.
Harding took the first lead of the game on its first possession of the second half by marching 67 yards in four plays. Davis rushed three times for 39 yards in the drive, then caught a 28-yard pass touchdown pass from Alex Engram to give the Raiders a 13-12 lead.
The Raiders pushed the lead to 8 by scoring early in the fourth quarter.
Harding marched 70 yards in 12 plays, capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Delbert Ferguson. Spain's kick kick gave Harding 20-12 lead.
Ferguson, in his most extensive playing time since joining the Raiders, rushed for 77 yards on 19 carries. Davis added 60 yards rushing on 12 carries.
"We've been disappointed in the running game the last two weeks," McDaniels said. "But after the efforts by Delbert and Richard, we feel better about that aspect of our team."
St. Edward struck first, taking the opening kick and driving 65 yards for the score. The Eagles marched 10 plays before scoring on a 1-yard run by Pride.
The Eagles' extra point kick failed as they jumped out to an early 6-0 lead.
St. Edward scored on its second possession, traveling from its own 36 to Harding's 16 in nine plays. On fourth and 4, Joe Klinesmith kicked a 30-yard field goal for a 9-0 lead.
Harding responded on the first play of the second quarter when Mario Manningham made an acrobatic catch on a pass from Engram and slipped into the end zone. The 17-yard scoring play culiminated an eight-play, 63-yard drive.
St. Edward got the final three points of the first half after recovering a Harding fumble at the Raider 20.
Seven plays later, Klinesmith drilled a 22-yard field goal with three seconds left in the half
"We're resilient," said Eagles coach John Gibbons. "It's a regular season game. Our guys are strong and we'll rebound from this."
Harding held a 272-268 edge in yards and a 14-13 edge in first downs.