Harding vs Massilon

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Harding vs Massilon

Massillon kickoff return sets tone at Mollenkopf

By MIKE McLAIN

sports@vindy.com

WARREN

Perhaps it was a bad omen when the paper hoop the Warren G. Harding Raiders run through when they sprint out of the locker room split in half.

Minutes later Anthony Ballard of the Massillon Washington Tigers split Harding’s coverage on an 84-yard kick return for a touchdown to open play.

The Raiders, who wore throwback uniforms in honor of the Harding Panthers, were in catch-up mode the rest of the night. They managed to tie the score three times but ultimately lost the non-conference game, 31-21, Friday at Mollenkopf Stadium.

Photo Gallery: Harding vs Massilon

The Tigers (2-1) used another good kick return (31 yards by Zion Phifer) to set up a 15-yard scoring pass from Logan Anania to Austin Kutscher in the third quarter. The breakdowns on special teams and 109 penalty yards on 12 calls doomed the Raiders, who are 0-2.

“We don’t have that margin for error to have 100 yards in penalties,” Raiders coach Steve Arnold said. “That will be corrected.”

Both teams were hit by multiple pass interference penalties that helped set up touchdowns. The calls came on deep fade routes by tall receivers that put shorter defensive backs in difficult situations.

“There comes a point in time when you have to let them play,” Arnold said of the close calls. “There’s going to be some contact, but man, every deep ball they were throwing a flag. Let the kids play, and I’m saying that on both sides.”

Both defenses had trouble stopping the run at times. The Tigers rushed for 213 yards, led by Jamir Taylor with 148 yards on 26 carries. Kayron Adams had 157 yards on 18 carries, including a 66-yard touchdown run in the third quarter as the Raiders accumulated 238 rushing yards.

“We expect that from Kayron,” Arnold said. “We’re running the ball well. Our passing game is vastly improved from week one. We just have to put a complete game together. The penalties hurt us, and that’s disappointing because we’ve never been a heavily-penalized team.”

Ballard’s touchdown was a perfect start for the Tigers as they played away from Paul Brown Stadium. Ballard found a huge gap in the middle of the field and was able to elude two defenders near the Raiders’ 40.

“Two of our young guys got blocked and left the crease,” Arnold said. “It was a combination of things. We’re supposed to kick the ball on the numbers, and we kicked it down the middle. That’s not what we practiced all week.”

The Raiders regrouped after Ballard’s touchdown and put together an 11-play, 74-yard scoring drive, capped by a 7-yard run by Adams. Gaige Hodgeson added the point after for the tie.

The Tigers followed with a 12-play, 59-yard drive. Taylor ran the final yard for the score, and Klay Moll added the extra point to give Massillon a 14-7 lead.

Adams scored on a 15-yard run to cap a 70-yard drive as Harding tied it at 14. A pass interference call against the Tigers on fourth down kept the drive alive.

Kutscher’s scoring reception on a pass from Anania put the Tigers ahead 21-14 at halftime. Aiden Longwell connected with Kutscher on a 37-yard scoring play in the third period to extend the lead to 28-14.

Adams broke loose on his 66-yard scoring run on the first play of the next possession. Moll made a 21-yard field goal with 4:21 remaining in the fourth quarter to seal the win.

Harding hosts Austintown Fitch on Friday.