Warren boasts two successful prep football programs

By Steve Ruman | sports@vindy.com

In so many ways, the Warren G. Harding and Warren John F. Kennedy football programs are as different as night and day.

From a numbers standpoint, Harding is the second-largest school in the Mahoning Valley with 571 male students. By contrast, Kennedy’s male enrollment of 81 makes it the smallest among football-playing schools in Trumbull county.

Warren G. Harding’s football program has its roots dated back to 1892, when the Warren School System fielded its first team. Kennedy began playing football in 1964, making it one of the newer programs in the Mahoning Valley.

Harding’s football team is as diverse as the public school it represents. JFK is the only parochial high school in Trumbull County.

Yet for all of their differences — or perhaps because of them — the two historic programs peacefully coexist in a community known for its passionate and loyal fan base.

“I think that the people of Warren recognize that there is a place for JFK within the community, and the people at JFK understand and respect all of the great things achieved by the Warren City School System,” said Kennedy coach Jeff Bayuk. “In terms of the two football programs, there is a definite mutual respect that exists among the Harding and Kennedy fans.

“The citizens here, they understand there is room enough for both programs.”

And, there is enough room for both programs to succeed.

Tonight, Harding (8-3) will play Mayfield (10-1) in a Division II, Region 3 semifinal game at Stewart Field in Solon. At the same time, Kennedy (10-1) will travel to Austintown Fitch where it will meet Toronto (10-1) in a Division VII, Region 23 semifinal.

Harding is in the playoffs for the 10th time. Its impressive postseason record of 16-7 includes three state final appearances and two state championships (1974, 1990).

Kennedy is in the playoffs for a Trumbull County-best 20th time. The Eagles own a 27-18 post-season record with four trips to the state finals and one state title (1991).

Warren Western Reserve High School, which was in existence just 24 years before merging with Harding in 1990, appeared in back-to-back state championship games in 1972 and 1973, winning a title in ‘72.

At least one Warren school has reached the post-season in 25 of the 44 years the playoffs have been in existence. This year marks the ninth time two Warren schools were in the playoffs in the same year.

Following a lengthy and successful career as a head coach at Canfield, Hubbard and Campbell, Bayuk served as an offensive coordinator at Harding in 2012. He took over the JFK program in 2014.

Bayuk said that while there are glaring differences in the makeup of the programs, WGH and JFK athletes mirror each other on the football field.

“The most obvious difference is the size,” Bayuk said. “One Harding class pretty much equals our entire roster. And, with such a large student population, the talent pool is going to be different. Obviously we have some kids who could start at Harding, but as a whole they are going to have better overall talent.

“But in the end, kids are kids. They want to be disciplined. They want to belong and to be part of something bigger than themselves. In terms of the type of hard-working, dedicated athlete every coach wants, you’ll find them at both Warren schools.”

Such dedication earns the respect of the Warren community. It is also why backers of one school have no problem supporting the other, according to restaurant owner Nick Frankos.

Frankos is widely recognized as one of the most die-hard Harding fans in Warren. He is a 1982 graduate of the school and was a three-year starter and an all-state defensive tackle before continuing his career at the University of Cincinnati.

Frankos regularly feeds the Harding team, but he doesn’t hesitate to do the same for Kennedy athletes.

“The bottom line is that they are Warren athletes, they represent our town,” Frankos said. “In large part, people in Warren believe that if one of its football teams do good, it’s good for everyone. The mood in school is better. The attitude around town is more upbeat. Absolutely, a winning team, whether it’s Harding or Kennedy, is good for Warren.”

Frankos pointed out that Harding and Kennedy have never met on the gridiron, and the difference in size and classifications “provide the opportunity for fans to support both schools.” By contrast, during the 1970’s and 1980’s Harding and Western Reserve competed in what was one of the fiercest rivalries in Ohio.

“If you lived on the east side, you wanted Reserve to lose every game, and the west siders had the same hatred toward Harding,” Frankos said. “It was as heated as any rivalry in sports.

“But even then, the rivalry was fueled by success. Regardless of what side you were on, you only hated the other side because they were a threat. There definitely was mutual respect. Looking back, it was a healthy rivalry that actually brought out the best in both programs and made them both work harder to get to the top.”

Dave Binko is a Harding graduate who played football in high school, then went on to coach at JFK for several years beginning in 1971. He has been coaching at the JFK junior high level for the past 26 years.

Like Frankos, Binko believes that there is “very little resentment” between the Harding and Kennedy faithful. He too pointed out the size difference between the two schools and noted that “each program has its own identity, its own schedule of rivals.”

“There was a time when Reserve was still around that all three programs were thriving,” Binko said. “It was good for Warren back then, and it’s good for Warren today that both Kennedy and Harding are in the playoffs. The community takes great pride in its successful football teams.”

As for what creates that success?

Harding coach Steve Arnold believes there is truth in the old adage “winning breeds winning.”

A Harding graduate, Arnold has been coaching in Warren for 27 years — including 10 years as the Raiders’ head basketball coach. He is now in his fourth year guiding the football program.

“Because of the winning tradition in Warren, today’s athletes are expected to excel and carry on the legacy,” Arnold said. “The work ethic and dedication that is expected is a bit higher here because the parents and grandparents of these kids constantly remind them of the past success.”

Arnold acknowledged that the demands of meeting such lofty goals can be daunting at times for both the athletes and coaches.

“But you know what? I wouldn’t want it any other way,” Arnold said. “If people stop caring, that’s when your program is in trouble. I want to be at a place where the fan base and the parents are passionate, because that brings out the best in the coaches and student-athletes.”

Oddly enough, Harding and JFK have followed very similar paths in recent years. In 2012 both schools finished 9-1 and lost in the first round of the playoffs. Both schools suffered through losing seasons in 2013, and had identical 2-8 finishes a year ago before turning things around this season.

Harding will look to continue its turnaround tonight against a Mayfield club that is averaging 34.5 points per game.

“This team is vastly different than any opponent we’ve faced in the past six weeks,” Arnold said. “The quarterback can run and throw very well from the spread, and defensively they come at you. It’s not an accident that they are 10-1.”

Meanwhile, Kennedy faces a Toronto team that is scoring an average of 41 points per contest.

“Toronto is much bigger than us physically, and the are very aggressive on both sides of the ball,” Bayuk said. “The quarterback will beat you with his arm and legs. They are very dangerous.”

Harding and Kennedy last both appeared in regional semifinal games in 2006. Harding defeated Lakewood St. Edward, then lost the following week to Mentor. Kennedy defeated Barnesville, and eventually advanced to the Division V state title game before falling to St. Henry.