By ERIC FORTUNE

sports @vindy.com

WARREN

In their first two games of the season, the Austintown Fitch Falcons struggled finding an offensive identity.

Last week they sort of found some consistency as they got their first win of the season.

Tonight it seemed to all come together with Jakari Lumsden fully healthy to compliment quarterback Joey Zielinski and Randy Smith as the Falcons compiled 377 yards on the ground as they beat the Warren Harding Raiders 35-20 in an All-American Conference, Gold Tier matchup.

“We’re capable of doing that,” Fitch coach Phil Annarella said. “Everything though just kind of gelled tonight.”

Between the three of them, Lumsden finished with 138 yards, Zielinski with 137 and Smith with 100.

“When the o-line is opening up like that, it is kind of easy for our backs,” Zielinski said.

The Falcons (2-2, 1-0) were nearly flawless executing an up tempo attack on their second drive of the game.

They marched the ball 73 yards in 12 plays that kept the Raiders (0-3, 0-1) on their heels with Zielinski taking it in from three yards out to make it 7-0 in favor of the Falcons.

“We do practice that quite a bit,” Annarella said. “We had an opportunity to use it tonight. It was effective.”

Much of what the Falcons did in the first half was effective after Kayron Adams’ 28 yard run tied the game up at seven with 5:02 left in the half.

Fitch responded with two touchdowns over the next 3:38 with Smith’s and Lumsden’s 68 yard and 32 yard runs to make it 21-7 at the half.

“We were watching how much we should play him [Lumsden],” Annarella said. “With him healthy now, we could use him more. It really opened some things up.”

The Raiders came out in the second half and made it 21-14 just 2:11 into the third quarter with Adams’ 45 yard run.

Fitch looked poised to respond after getting a first down at their own 22 only to see Lumsden fumble at his own 38.

Adams’ would score his third touchdown of the night seven plays later to make it 21-20. He finished with 166 yards rushing.

Harding coach Steve Arnold decided to go for two after a Fitch penalty moved the ball half the distance. Instead of taking their first lead of the season, the Falcon defense engulfed the play.

“We needed something good,” Arnold said. “I felt at the time that we needed the lead. We haven’t had the lead in any game this season. We needed to be ahead on the scoreboard. Our kids needed to see that.”

The Falcons turned the ball over again on the ensuing kickoff but Garrett Axel intercepted Chris Chew to turn away another Harding scoring opportunity.

A 57-yard run from Zielinski on third-and-10 set up the Falcons at the Harding 13 where Zielinski ran it in from eight yards out to make it 28-20 in the early stages of the fourth quarter.

“They came out and knocked us in the mouth,” Zielinski said. “Give them credit for that. I love how we came back and responded.”

The Falcons put the exclamation point on their night when Rumsden’s 5-yard run made it 35-20 with 4:37 left in the game.

“They ran the ball well tonight,” Arnold said. “They kicked our butt up front. We didn’t tackle well. We didn’t get a push up front. We didn’t tackle well on the back end. If you can’t stop the run, you’re not going to win. It’s demoralizing.”