Harding stunned by St. Edward

The Raiders' 27-24 defeat was marked by a heated exchange at the end.
By JIM FLICK
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
WARREN -- The Lakewood St. Edward football team won the battle on the football field Saturday, then started its own war of words.
Minutes after beating Warren Harding 27-24 in a Division I regional quarterfinal playoff game at Mollenkopf Stadium, two unidentified members of the Eagles coaching staff approached Raiders coach Thom McDaniels and told him the final score "served him right" for informing the Ohio High School Athletic Association about St. Edward's use of an ineligible player.
St. Edward, which defeated Harding 45-12 earlier in the season, had to forfeit four victories, but made the playoffs with a 5-5 record.
McDaniels denied the charges.
"I'm offended," McDaniels said, declining to name the coaches. "Shame on them."
Halftime lead
Harding (8-3), which lost to St. Edward earlier in the season 45-12, took a 14-7 halftime lead, but the Eagles scored twice in the third quarter to tie the game.
Early in the fourth quarter, Omar Omar gave Harding its last lead of the game when he kicked a 24-yard field goal.
But St. Edward stormed back when quarterback Brandon Frohnapple completed a 59-yard pass to Joe Kleinsmith, placing the ball at Harding's 3. Paxton Rose rumbled into the end zone on the next play, giving St. Edward the lead for good.
"Nothing he does surprised me," McDaniels said of Kleinsmith. "He's a great player."
Harding, which made the playoffs for the fourth straight year, had a chance to win the game, but its comeback hopes ended when St. Edward's Mark Dvoroznak intercepted a pass thrown by Raiders quarterback Roger Matlock with 21 seconds remaining.
Raiders running back Dan Herron was held to 72 yards on 27 carries.
St. Edward, the defending state runner-up, advanced to play Cleveland Glenville (10-1). Glenville defeated Austintown Fitch on Saturday.
McDaniels was disappointed with the loss, but not with his team's effort.
"Our kids made a phenomenal effort, & quot; McDaniels said. "We played really hard -- good enough to make us proud."