Herron leads way in Raiders' 42-7 win

Strong overall performance endedthe team's losing streak.
By PETE MOLLICA
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
WARREN -- Several weeks ago, Warren Harding High football coach Thom McDaniels said he wouldn't trade running back Dan Herron for any other back in the state.
After Friday night's performance, McDaniels now wouldn't trade Herron for any running back in the country.
The 5-foot-10, 188-pound junior put on an exhibition Friday against Ursuline, rushing for 281 yards and five touchdowns, as the Raiders ended a four-game losing streak with a 42-7 rout of the Irish in a Steel Valley Conference game at Mollenkopf Stadium.
McDaniels made his statement when the Raiders were in the midst of their four-game losing streak and Herron was struggling.
"I put some pressure on him, and he responded the way I expected him to," McDaniels said. "He had just an outstanding game tonight."
Herron, who carried the ball 24 times, had touchdown runs of 3, 7, 50, 2 and 61 yards. He also had runs of 26 and 59 yards that helped set up his scores.
Ursuline coach Dan Reardon felt that the difference in the game was the fact that the Raiders dominated both the offensive and defensive lines.
"That was the difference; they just beat us in the trenches tonight," Reardon said.
Herron agreed, at least on offense.
"My line was just outstanding tonight; I wouldn't have done anything without their blocking," Herron said.
"We needed this win, and we needed it badly; now we have to see if we can keep this momentum going," he added.
How it happened
Harding (2-4, 1-1 SVC) took the opening kickoff and marched 68 yards on 13 plays in 8 minutes, 7 seconds. Herron carried the ball 10 of those plays and had all but 15 yards as he scored on a 3-yard run.
Ursuline (3-3, 0-1) came right back and scored on three plays as Ryan Curry broke loose for a 66-yard touchdown run to tie the game.
But on the first play after the kickoff, Herron broke a run for 59 yards to the Ursuline 7 and scored on the next play. Just 16 seconds elapsed.
Ursuline's Bryant Youngblood was intercepted on the first play after the kickoff, and Herron raced 50 yards to the end zone for a 21-7 lead.
The Raiders went up 28-7 at halftime on a 53-yard drive as Herron capped that one with a 2-yard run.
Herron's final touchdown came early in the third quarter, when he darted up the middle, cut back across the field and raced 61 yards.
After Herron went out of the game late in the third quarter, junior Reggie Scrivens took over and finished with 128 yards on 10 carries, as the Raiders rushed for 461 yards.
The Raiders did not attempt a pass all game.
Ursuline never threatened after their touchdown drive on their first possession of the game and finished with just 157 yards rushing and minus-5 yards passing for 152 total yards.
mollica@vindy.com