By joe scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

austintown

It was a two-touchdown game that came down to two feet. Facing a fourth-and-1 on the game’s biggest play, there was little question who was going to get the ball for Warren Harding, just as there was little question who the Raiders most needed to block.

“My coaches were in my ear telling me, ‘You’ve got to make this stop,’” said Fitch senior defensive lineman Billy Price.

And so, with five minutes left and the Falcons clinging to a seven-point lead, the Raiders handed the ball to their workhorse running back, LeShun Daniels, on a fourth-and-1 at the Fitch 29.

It was the 10th play of the drive.

It was the last play of the drive.

“I saw a guard pulling and saw that it was going to be a power [sweep] or some sort of trap,” said Price, an Ohio State recruit. “I blew up that guy [the lead blocker] and I saw LeShun bounce to the outside. I knew with him on my outside shoulder, I would be able to take care of business.”

Price engulfed him inches behind the line of scrimmage, Daniels lost the ball and Fitch recovered. Fourteen plays later, Fitch quarterback Matt Futkos rumbled into the end zone to clinch a 24-10 victory in Friday’s opener at Fitch Falcon Stadium.

“Our defense came up big when they had to,” said Fitch coach Phil Annarella, praising his defensive coordinator, Wally Hurdley. “It was a good team effort because then the offense was able to get a couple big drives and eat some clock.

“Obviously, that last touchdown drive was huge.”

Fitch’s offense wasn’t as dynamic as it has been the last two years — losing three BCS players to graduation will do that — but the trio of Futkos (51 yards rushing, 86 passing), Billy Aaron (18 rushing, 41 receiving) and Ty’Reese Anderson (138 yards rushing) did a nice job executing the Falcons’ quick snap, zone read offense.

“Matt’s a great leader,” Annarella said. “I think people underestimate his running ability and it’s nice to know you can rotate backs in like Ty’Reese and Billy.”

Fitch also played mistake-free football, with no turnovers and no penalties.

“It’s a huge win,” said Annarella, who coached Harding to the Division I state title in 1990. “I know they were pointing to us all offseason and they played like it. We knew we had to play fairly well tonight for us to win and, fortunately, we did.”

Daniels, a Boston College recruit, gained 136 yards on seven carries, Lamar Carmichael threw for 61 yards and John Coleman gained 45 yards on eight carries while blocking well in Harding’s I-formation-heavy scheme.

“I thought we played hard, I thought we ran to the football and I thought we showed an attitude when moving to the football,” said Raiders coach Steve Arnold, making his football debut after coaching the basketball team the last decade. “But understand this: We’re not satisfied with playing well and losing and the kids aren’t either.”