Team

Warren Harding

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

By Ryan Buck

sports@vindy.com

WARREN

Warren Harding quarterback, return man and all-around offensive weapon Lynn Bowden provided most of the scoring, but it was the Raiders’ defense — badly beaten most of the evening — that earned a 48-41 victory over Massillon Friday night at Mollenkopf Stadium.

Bowden rushed for three touchdowns, threw for another and returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown.

Bowden, a junior transfer from Liberty, gave Harding a 48-41 lead with a 20-yard keeper around the right end and broke two tackles at the goal line.

With 3:50 remaining in the game, however, the Tigers’ offense and quarterback Seth Blankenship had one more drive to tie or take the lead with a two-point conversion try.

On fourth-and-3 at his own 34, Blankenship hit Austin Jasinski for six yards to keep the drive alive. He found Jasinski again for 20 yards and Keyshawn Watson, who carried 36 times for 230 yards and a pair of scores, raced ahead for 20 more.

An incomplete pass, a failed rushing attempt and lack of timeouts had the Tigers sitting at the Harding 20 with under a minute remaining.

On third-and-12, Blankenship saw pressure up the middle from Harding linebacker Thad McCollough and heaved a pass that sailed over the head of 6-foot-3 tight end Montrell Stevens.

Harding safety Jalen Hooks intercepted the errant toss in the end zone to effectively end a thrilling game.

Harding coach Steve Arnold likened the game to a boxing match where the two combatants continuously returned from near-defeat to respond.

“Ultimately we were able to hold them on that last drive and not let them in,” Arnold said. “The fans got their money’s worth tonight. That was entertaining.”

Harding jumped out to a 13-0 first-quarter lead on a 63-yard Bowden run and a 36-yarder from Keemari Murry.

Blankenship settled into a rhythm en route to 266 passing yards for the night and, along with Watson and a receiving corps that towered over Harding’s secondary, kept up with the Raiders (3-0).

The Tigers took a 27-26 lead early in the third after they capitalized on a fumbled kick return. But Bowden had answers, scoring on another 63- yard run that saw him reverse field and outrace all comers.

When Massillon (1-2) tied it on their next drive, he inconspicuously strode back to return the kick, thinking he would be avoided.

“I told my team after [Massillon] scored, ‘This is where champions are made,’ and they kind of fed off that vibe and I just ran with a passion,” Bowden said.

He broke down the right sideline, cut back to the middle of the field, broke a tackle and followed blocks towards the left sideline and again left everyone behind en route to another highlight-reel touchdown.

The Raiders will meet Austintown Fitch next week in one of the area’s most anticipated matchups of the season.