Team

Boardman

Record	Div.	Conf.
6/5	Div. II	All-American Conference Gold Tier

Team

Warren Harding

Record	Div.	Conf.
2/7	Div. I	All-American Conference Gold Tier

Harding blocked a late field goal, then watched Boardman score

By Greg Gulas

sports@vindy.com

WARREN

As Boardman placekicker Adam Deeley was lining up for what he hoped would be the game-winning field goal, his teammates were pondering what might happen in case things didn’t go well.

The preparation instilled in them by head coach Joe Ignazio and defensive coordinator Mike Popio paid off in Friday’s game against Warren Harding.

First, Deeley endured two timeouts called by the Raiders. Then the fun began.

Chris Clarke blocked Deeley’s attempt and fireworks went off in the corner of the end zone in celebration.

Oops — Deeley’s teammate Gaven Strines alertly picked the ball up and returned it for a touchdown in Boardman’s improbable 18-14 victory at Mollenkopf Stadium.

“I heard it get blocked and then saw the ball on the ground,” Strines said. “Alex Duda missed diving on it, I looked around and saw everyone celebrating so I got the ball and started running the other way.

“After I started running toward the end zone, it got crazy from there,” Strines said. “I didn’t want to get tackled.

“That’s probably the best game I’ve ever been in.”

Koby Adu-Poku rushed for 112 yards and a touchdown while Deeley added field goals of 32 and 27 yards in the All-American Conference, Gold Tier showdown.

It was the third consecutive win for the Spartans (4-3, 1-0) and fourth in the last five games. The Raiders (5-2, 2-1) fell for the second time in three games.

“I just can’t describe it right now,” Harding head coach Steve Arnold said. “We were up 14-3 and stopped them in the third quarter.

“We missed on a deep ball and that could’ve put us up 21-3,” Arnold said. “It was a lack of concentration; a lack of focus. We’ve got to find a way to come back and practice well on a short week.

“This was a tough loss and we’ve got to find a way to bounce back next week.”

With the score 14-12 and the wind in Warren Harding’s face, the Raiders were stopped on a fourth-and-5 at the Boardman 21 yard line. The Spartans’ defense stiffened to throw Keemari Murry for a 3-yard loss.

Murray, who needed 140 yards to become just the third player in Harding history to rush for 3,000 yards, was held to 71 yards on 16 carriese.

Adu-Poku, who replaced the injured Mario Graziani, carried the ball 12 times on the drive for 53 yards to set up the Deeley field goal opportunity from the Raiders’ 12-yard line.

“I loved it, a moment like this in front of this crowd, a blocked field goal then we pick it up and run it in,” Adu-Poku said. “It’s awesome — this was a big win.”

Deeley said he felt good about the attempt.

“They called the two timeouts but it didn’t faze me much,” Deeley said. “The snap was high but it took too long to put it down and I thought this could be bad.

“I’m ecstatic we won but I was really hoping to put it through the uprights.”

Boardman took the early 3-0 lead on a 32-yard Deeley field goal. Murry then scored twice for a 14-3 lead.

Deeley’s second field goalmade it 14-6 at intermission.

Adu-Poku’s 1-yard touchdown run in the third quarter made it 14-12 after the missed two-point conversion.