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Harding's next opponent thriving on the edge
By Steve Ruman
In the first two rounds of the playoffs, the Warren Harding football team has had to face a prolific passing attack (Brecksville-Broadview Heights) and a relentless running game (Chardon).
Tonight in Twinsburg, the Raiders will go up against an offense which can score points through the air and on the ground.
Harding (11-1) will play Hudson (10-2) in a Division II Region 5 regional final at Tiger Stadium. The winner will advance to next week’s state semifinals.
Hudson is looking to advance to the state semifinals for a third consecutive year. This is the Explorers’ sixth straight trip to the playoffs.
The fourth-seeded Explorers opened the postseason with a 29-25 win over Copley. They then ousted top-seeded Aurora 14-7.
“We’ve just taken the entire season one game, one practice at a time,” Hudson first-year coach Jeff Gough said. “It sounds clich , but that’s what has gotten us to this point. We don’t look back and we don’t look beyond our next opponent.”
“This is mid-November and these guys are still practicing with 100 of their best friends,” he said. “As a high school football player that’s all you can ask for.”
Hudson is averaging 184.7 passing yards and 151.9 rushing yards per game. Its balanced offense is orchestrated by a trio of quarterbacks — senior Jackson Parker (513 passing yards, 360 rushing yards), junior Colt Pallay (1,553 passing yards) and sophomore William Wallace (150 passing yards, 151 rushing yards).
“We have three guys with different qualities and skill sets, it gives us different options based on where we are in each particular game,” Gough said. “The flexibility is beneficial to our offense.”
Kevin Callahan (121 carries, 562 yards, seven TDs) and Dawson Wervey (100 carries, 506 yards, four TDs) are the Explorers’ go-to backs.
“We try to stay balanced,” Gough said. “[Offensive coordinator] Shawn Surdy has done an excellent job of maintaining balance. That’s very important in our system, because we strive to take what the defense is giving us.”
As it does on offense, Hudson utilizes a number of players on the defensive side of the ball. Gough noted that the defensive unit is a “mix-and-match bunch” which rotates 15 to 20 players throughout the course of a game.
Senior defensive linemen Will Orazen (141 total tackles, 13 tackles for loss) and Alex Beck (102 total tackles, three interceptions) lead the way. Senior linebacker Danny Saxon leads the team with 21 tackles for a loss and six fumble recoveries.
“[Defensive coordinator] Ian Kost does a great job of finding what group works best for any opponent, or for any particular situation,” Gough said.
Tonight’s game is the first meeting between Harding and Hudson. Gough is familiar with the Raiders, and in particular with senior quarterback Lynn Bowden.
“I have stated that I believe Lynn Bowden is the best athlete in the state,” Gough said. “He can make game-changing plays in a number of ways. He’s as good as any player we’ll face.
“But Harding’s talent goes much deeper. They have a number of weapons on both sides of the ball, and that’s what makes Bowden even more dangerous.”
While Harding has had its share of lopsided wins this year, Hudson has lived on the edge, especially in the latter part of the season. In each of their last five wins, the Explorers found themselves either tied or trailing in the fourth quarter.
“It’s nerve-wracking, but at the same time it gave the guys more confidence as the season wore on, and into the playoffs,” Gough said. “They know how to handle adversity.
“They know how to respond in tough situations. I think our past playoff experiences has helped prepare this particular group for this year.”
Hudson and Harding played one similar opponent this year. Hudson opened its season with a 17-7 home victory over Austintown Fitch. Three weeks later, Harding traveled to Fitch, where they logged a 35-0 win.