By Jim Flick

The Raiders drove 74 yards to set up Penman’s game-winning kick.

WARREN — Warren Harding connected on a 28-yard field goal with less than two minutes remaining to gain a victory over Youngstown East Friday night, 15-14.

After Ben Penman kicked the ball through the uprights to give the Raiders (5-4) their first lead of the night, Warren Harding’s defense held East (3-6) without a first down.

With only 58 seconds remaining, the Raiders took over on downs at East’s 18-yard line and ran out the clock.

All the points in the game were scored in the second half. East scored the game’s first touchdown in the third quarter and led 14-6 when the Raiders scored a touchdown to narrow the score to 14-12. But when Warren Harding failed to connect on a two-point conversion, East seemed poised for victory.

But Harding drove 74 yards in seven plays to set up Penman’s game-winning field.

Harding’s offense was sparked by quarterback Aunr Davis, a senior, who threw for 60 yards and two touchdowns, and led the team in rushing with 49 yards.

The East squad was also led in both rushing and passing by the team’s quarterback, senior Roncarlos Hilton. In the loss, Hilton compiled bigger numbers, throwing for 142 yards and running for 59 yards.

“Our guys showed a lot of heart tonight,” Harding coach D.J. Dota said after the game.

Dota praised his quarterback’s improvement over the course of the season. “Aunr ’s decision-making has become a lot better in the last three weeks. He’s been getting the ball where it needs to be.”

“I don’t know how we let this get away,” said East coach Brian Shaner. “This was a hard-fought battle. It was one of the hardest-hitting games we played all season.

“When you put athletes on the field like we have at both schools, you never know what’s going go to happen,” Shaner added.

Throughout the first half, neither team had much success on offense.

That changed after halftime. After receiving the second-half kickoff, East drove 65 yards in eight plays. Wide receive Braylon Rogers scored the game’s first points when he caught a 17-yard touchdown pass from Hilton. The extra point attempted failed, but East led 6-0.

As the third quarter, Harding evened the score when Paris Bruner caught a 36-yard pass from Davis. The extra point attempt failed, leaving the score tied at 6-6.

East regained the lead when Michael Starkey caught a pass from Hilton and weaved 61 yards downfield to score. On the extra point attempt, Rogers caught a pass from Hilton to give East a 14-6 lead.

But Harding soon struck back. After a punt, the Raiders took the ball at East’s 32-yard line. After losing 4 yards in three plays, Davis threw a 36-yard yard touchdown play to receiver Joe Bland.

Harding attempted a two-point conversion to tie the score, but the attempt failed and East clung to a 14-12 lead.

A quick-kick punt by Hilton gave Harding the ball at its 15 with 5:40 remaining.

The 74-yard drive that set up Penman’s field goal included a 39-yard run by Demond Hymes.

After Penman gave the Raiders the lead, they downed the ball three times to run out the clock and claim the victory.