Strong second half helps Buchtel stop W. Harding

The Griffins held the Raiders to just 101 yards of offense in the second half.
By CHUCK HOUSTEAU
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
WARREN -- The Akron Buchtel Griffins scored two second-half touchdowns and held off a late Warren Harding rally to upend the Raiders 18-10 Saturday at Mollenkopf Stadium.
Trailing 18-3 with 4:45 remaining in the game, Harding's Lazarus McCrae recovered a Buchtel fumble and returned it 20 yards to the Akron five.
Four plays later, Dan Herron scored on a 1-yard run and Alena Westover's kick cut the lead to 18-10 with three minutes to go.
Harding, however, failed to recover the ensuing onside kick and the Griffins were able to come away with the victory.
The win avenged a heartbreaking loss by the Griffins to Harding last season.
Buchtel held Harding to 101 yards of offense in the second half and forced three turnovers with a strong defensive effort.
Akron scored at the start of the second half by marching 65 yards in 12 plays.
The Griffins scored on a 3-yard TD pass from Rayshon Dent to Teon Stallworth.
Akron put the game away when David Lewos made an acrobatic catch for a 31-yard TD early in the fourth quarter.
The first half was sloppily played by both teams, who committed a total of 14 penalties and numerous turnovers.
Harding scored on its first drive of the game.
The Raiders marched to the Buchtel 10-yard line on seven plays, before Westover kicked her first career field goal from 27 yards out.
The Griffins' Marcus Ferguson then returned the following kickoff 47 yards to the Harding 30 and a face mask penalty on the play put Buchtel at the 15-yard line.
Harding thwarted that scoring attempt when Chris Rucker intercepted a halfback pass in the endzone.
Buchtel tied the game at 3-3 with three seconds remaining in the half when Ernest Pits kicked a 30-yard field goal.
That score was set up when the Griffins partially blocked a Harding punt it took over on the Raiders' 37-yard line 47 seconds before halftime.
Herron led Harding with 101 yards on 19 carries.
AKRON BUCHTEL 18, WARREN HARDING 10
Akron Buchtel0378--18
Warren Harding3007--10
WARREN HARDING -- Alena Westover, 27 field goal
AKRON BUCHTEL -- Ernest Pits, 30 field goal.
AKRON BUCHTEL -- Teon Stallworth, 3 pass from Rayshon Dent (Pits kick)
AKRON BUCHTEL -- David Lewis, 30 pass from Dent (Pits, pass from Dent)
WARREN HARDING -- Dan Herron, 1 run (Westover kick)