Benedictine 2020
- Thread starter ene456
- Start date
Auggie
Well-known member
Better than Reigning Sports Academy or Bishop Sycamore
like our Catholic friends in Akron had to fall back on for an opener.MrBeneBengal
Active member
How great is Warren Harding ?
NEOFBREPORT
Active member
David Baugh
UPDATED Week 1- Cleveland Benedictine (0-0) @ Warren G,. Harding (0-0)
Superb coaching and great athletes. To the casual fan, those are the main components to a solid high school football program, but there is a "secret sauce" that is vital to the recipe of success that's often forgotten about... Community. It takes a village to raise a child and the collective effort that a community puts forth towards bringing up their youth up has a huge effect on whether or not their kids will grow up to be coachable, mentally tough,hard workers, etc. Hence, the reason why certain high schools consistently put out great products and while some are more prone to attract/lose their talent.
The best example of a strong "village" in the Buckeye State would be Marion Local, a small high school in Maria Stein, Ohio that has played in nine consecutive state championship games, winning seven (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019) to go along with the four that they won in 2000, 2001,2006, and 2007. Their 11 state championships in football is tied with Cleveland St. Ignatius for the most in Ohio history. As impressive as the aforementioned feat is, it's even more remarkable when you consider that little league football is not offered in Maria Stein, a farming community where kids are developed at home before they even step onto the football field. By the time that happens though, their youth is equipped with the discipline and physical tools to overwhelm their opposition.
Every successful football "community" has their own unique method for breeding success. In the old days, the former steel mill towns like Warren, Massillon, Canton, Steubenville, Niles (the Dragons used to be very good back in the day), etc. had blue collar atmospheres that constantly bred tough, hard-nosed kids that resulted in great football. This was enhanced by the presence of strong adult leadership, community centers, summer programs, and many other aspects that instilled a high level of pride in the city. Back then, Warren G. Harding, as well as Warren Western Reserve in their heyday, played anybody, anywhere, any time on the gridiron and when they did, they brought the whole city with them.
While the love of the game of football is always present in Warren, many of the aspects that pushed the city towards greatness doesn't exist anymore. No, that doesn't suggest that the Raiders aren't playing good football anymore as four of current head coach Steve Arnold's five career playoff appearances have come over the last five years (2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019; his first in 2012). However, there's always room for improvement off the field that can better prepare our youth to produce even better results on the field. Last year, Harding's season was halted 55-0 to Massillon, a city that is literally the same size as Warren, but back among the elite in the entire state. The loss left a bitter taste in the mouths of a talented and now experienced group of players that will take the field this Friday at Cleveland Heights.
Offensively, the Raiders will be led on the field by quarterback Elijah Taylor, who enters his senior year as Harding's all-time leader in passing yards (3,124) while his 27 career touchdown passes are just one shy of current Las Vegas Raider Lynn Bowden's school record. Last year, Taylor's arm allowed then-senior Ty Artis to have one of the best statistical years in Harding history as he finished with 28 catches for 752 yards and 8 touchdowns. With Artis is now on the football roster at Wheeling University, Taylor will look for breakout years from seniors DeAveion "Nutty" Burgess and MarKwuan Brown as well as juniors Dom Foster and Curtiss Dorsey. He'll be joined in the offensive backfield by senior running backs Elizah Smith and Emari Burgess. Defensively, Emarion Perkins and Jabari Felton combined for 39.0 tackles for a loss and 10.0 sacks in 2019. The other returning leaders include Chester Adams (68 tackles, 6 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 interception in 2019), Mar'Rall Brown (24 tackles and 4.5 TFLs in 2019), Da'mari Freeman (34 tackles & 1 TFL in 2019) and Emari Burgess (19 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 interception).
As for this season, Harding has already been on a roller coaster ride trying to find a week 1 opponent. First, the Raiders were scheduled to host longtime rival Canton McKinley, who had to cancel due to their obligations to the Federal League. Next, as I wrote in my original week 1 preview article, Harding was set to travel rotes 422 west and 271 north to Cleveland Heights, but at the last minute, their superintendent pulled the plug on that meeting, Finally, we THINK, the Raiders are set to host Northeastern Ohio powerhouse Cleveland Benedictine this Saturday. Of course, the term "powerhouse" may have different meanings to different people. However, under any scenario, Benedictine fits the description. They rank sixth in OHSAA history with seven state playoff championships in football (1973, 1980, 1981, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2014), which doesn't include their AP Poll state championship in 1957. In fact, they're the only football program in Ohio to win at least one state title in every decade since the OHSAA implemented its playoff system in 1972. The 16 NFL players that they've produced ranks sixth in Ohio history (behind Canton McKInley, Cleveland Glenville, Massillon, Harding, and Columbus East) and they're tied for third in Ohio for active NFL players. They include Najee Goode (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jerome Baker (Miami Dolphins) and Justin Layne (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Now, the Bengals enter the 2020 season with a loaded group that's ready to continue its emergence under second-year head coach and Najee's uncle Jarritt Goode. A 1995 alum of Benedictine, Jarritt will have planty of experience under center in senior quarterback Ronnie Schultz, who threw for 2,354 yards and 28 touchdowns in his forst year as a starter in 2019. Speaking of the "center," the snaps will be handled by Robert Morris commit Luke Beltavski. He selected the Colonials over the likes of the University of Akron, who also have offers extended to wide receiver/safety Chris Gales and linebacker Derell Bendingfield Jr., who also holds an offer from Cincinnati. The Bengals' defensive front will be headlined by Thomas Jolly, who is committed to Division II juggarnaught Grand Valley State. Meanwhile, the kicking duties will be handled by senior Ivan Shuran, who has offers from both Army and Navy.
As the world is eager to return to a state of normalcy amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Ohio is among the few states stepping up to lead the charge in getting back to organized sports. The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s plan for a six-game regular season was recently given the green light by Gov. Mike DeWine and as a result of the sudden change, Harding’s original opponent, Canton McKinley, who as mentioned earlier, was forced to drop the Raiders from their schedule in order to fulfill their obligations to the Federal League and fit Massillon into their season finale. While the Bulldogs are one of Raiders’ oldest rivals, there is plenty of recent history with Cleveland Heights, who used to compete against the Harding every year while they were both in the Lake Erie League, but even that match-up never came to fruition. Now, after a 21-year hiatus, Harding and Benedictine will meet on the football field. The 1999 match-up is remembered as then-sophomore Maurice Clarett's debut as a Raider as he finished with for 19 carries for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns (46, 20, 23, 5) while adding another score on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Luke Stuckey in Harding's 36-13 season-opening victory. On Saturday, two groups of kids, who were yet to be even thought of back in 1999, will take their turns in opening up their seasons at Mollenkopf Stadium.
Good luck Raiders!
UPDATED Week 1- Cleveland Benedictine (0-0) @ Warren G,. Harding (0-0)
Superb coaching and great athletes. To the casual fan, those are the main components to a solid high school football program, but there is a "secret sauce" that is vital to the recipe of success that's often forgotten about... Community. It takes a village to raise a child and the collective effort that a community puts forth towards bringing up their youth up has a huge effect on whether or not their kids will grow up to be coachable, mentally tough,hard workers, etc. Hence, the reason why certain high schools consistently put out great products and while some are more prone to attract/lose their talent.
The best example of a strong "village" in the Buckeye State would be Marion Local, a small high school in Maria Stein, Ohio that has played in nine consecutive state championship games, winning seven (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2019) to go along with the four that they won in 2000, 2001,2006, and 2007. Their 11 state championships in football is tied with Cleveland St. Ignatius for the most in Ohio history. As impressive as the aforementioned feat is, it's even more remarkable when you consider that little league football is not offered in Maria Stein, a farming community where kids are developed at home before they even step onto the football field. By the time that happens though, their youth is equipped with the discipline and physical tools to overwhelm their opposition.
Every successful football "community" has their own unique method for breeding success. In the old days, the former steel mill towns like Warren, Massillon, Canton, Steubenville, Niles (the Dragons used to be very good back in the day), etc. had blue collar atmospheres that constantly bred tough, hard-nosed kids that resulted in great football. This was enhanced by the presence of strong adult leadership, community centers, summer programs, and many other aspects that instilled a high level of pride in the city. Back then, Warren G. Harding, as well as Warren Western Reserve in their heyday, played anybody, anywhere, any time on the gridiron and when they did, they brought the whole city with them.
While the love of the game of football is always present in Warren, many of the aspects that pushed the city towards greatness doesn't exist anymore. No, that doesn't suggest that the Raiders aren't playing good football anymore as four of current head coach Steve Arnold's five career playoff appearances have come over the last five years (2015, 2016, 2018, and 2019; his first in 2012). However, there's always room for improvement off the field that can better prepare our youth to produce even better results on the field. Last year, Harding's season was halted 55-0 to Massillon, a city that is literally the same size as Warren, but back among the elite in the entire state. The loss left a bitter taste in the mouths of a talented and now experienced group of players that will take the field this Friday at Cleveland Heights.
Offensively, the Raiders will be led on the field by quarterback Elijah Taylor, who enters his senior year as Harding's all-time leader in passing yards (3,124) while his 27 career touchdown passes are just one shy of current Las Vegas Raider Lynn Bowden's school record. Last year, Taylor's arm allowed then-senior Ty Artis to have one of the best statistical years in Harding history as he finished with 28 catches for 752 yards and 8 touchdowns. With Artis is now on the football roster at Wheeling University, Taylor will look for breakout years from seniors DeAveion "Nutty" Burgess and MarKwuan Brown as well as juniors Dom Foster and Curtiss Dorsey. He'll be joined in the offensive backfield by senior running backs Elizah Smith and Emari Burgess. Defensively, Emarion Perkins and Jabari Felton combined for 39.0 tackles for a loss and 10.0 sacks in 2019. The other returning leaders include Chester Adams (68 tackles, 6 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 interception in 2019), Mar'Rall Brown (24 tackles and 4.5 TFLs in 2019), Da'mari Freeman (34 tackles & 1 TFL in 2019) and Emari Burgess (19 tackles, 4 TFLs, 1 sack, and 1 interception).
As for this season, Harding has already been on a roller coaster ride trying to find a week 1 opponent. First, the Raiders were scheduled to host longtime rival Canton McKinley, who had to cancel due to their obligations to the Federal League. Next, as I wrote in my original week 1 preview article, Harding was set to travel rotes 422 west and 271 north to Cleveland Heights, but at the last minute, their superintendent pulled the plug on that meeting, Finally, we THINK, the Raiders are set to host Northeastern Ohio powerhouse Cleveland Benedictine this Saturday. Of course, the term "powerhouse" may have different meanings to different people. However, under any scenario, Benedictine fits the description. They rank sixth in OHSAA history with seven state playoff championships in football (1973, 1980, 1981, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2014), which doesn't include their AP Poll state championship in 1957. In fact, they're the only football program in Ohio to win at least one state title in every decade since the OHSAA implemented its playoff system in 1972. The 16 NFL players that they've produced ranks sixth in Ohio history (behind Canton McKInley, Cleveland Glenville, Massillon, Harding, and Columbus East) and they're tied for third in Ohio for active NFL players. They include Najee Goode (Jacksonville Jaguars), Jerome Baker (Miami Dolphins) and Justin Layne (Pittsburgh Steelers)
Now, the Bengals enter the 2020 season with a loaded group that's ready to continue its emergence under second-year head coach and Najee's uncle Jarritt Goode. A 1995 alum of Benedictine, Jarritt will have planty of experience under center in senior quarterback Ronnie Schultz, who threw for 2,354 yards and 28 touchdowns in his forst year as a starter in 2019. Speaking of the "center," the snaps will be handled by Robert Morris commit Luke Beltavski. He selected the Colonials over the likes of the University of Akron, who also have offers extended to wide receiver/safety Chris Gales and linebacker Derell Bendingfield Jr., who also holds an offer from Cincinnati. The Bengals' defensive front will be headlined by Thomas Jolly, who is committed to Division II juggarnaught Grand Valley State. Meanwhile, the kicking duties will be handled by senior Ivan Shuran, who has offers from both Army and Navy.
As the world is eager to return to a state of normalcy amid the Covid-19 pandemic, Ohio is among the few states stepping up to lead the charge in getting back to organized sports. The Ohio High School Athletic Association’s plan for a six-game regular season was recently given the green light by Gov. Mike DeWine and as a result of the sudden change, Harding’s original opponent, Canton McKinley, who as mentioned earlier, was forced to drop the Raiders from their schedule in order to fulfill their obligations to the Federal League and fit Massillon into their season finale. While the Bulldogs are one of Raiders’ oldest rivals, there is plenty of recent history with Cleveland Heights, who used to compete against the Harding every year while they were both in the Lake Erie League, but even that match-up never came to fruition. Now, after a 21-year hiatus, Harding and Benedictine will meet on the football field. The 1999 match-up is remembered as then-sophomore Maurice Clarett's debut as a Raider as he finished with for 19 carries for 156 yards and 3 touchdowns (46, 20, 23, 5) while adding another score on an 18-yard touchdown pass from Luke Stuckey in Harding's 36-13 season-opening victory. On Saturday, two groups of kids, who were yet to be even thought of back in 1999, will take their turns in opening up their seasons at Mollenkopf Stadium.
Good luck Raiders!
Auggie
Well-known member
Solid team with athletes that can make plays, especially at QB. Not hearing a lot about their line play so not sure how balanced they are. They are not on the same level as the other Div II powers that were originally on the schedule, (Massillon, Hoban, & TCC) probably a step above Fitch.
¹
Massillon and Hoban are still on our schedule
MrBeneBengal
Active member
YtownJohnny
Well-known member
Not a step above Fitch. Maybe a step below to be honest.
MrBeneBengal
Active member
Yeah, my source has now been fired
Auggie
Well-known member
Congratulations on an excellent choice!
Some might be wondering why a kicker of Ivan's ability with Div I offers selected a good but not great Div III school. Well it just so happens that Williams is the #1 Liberal Arts College in the country according to US News & World Report: https://www.usnews.com/best-colleges/williams-college-2229
Acceptance rate is currently 13% and the endowment is $2.3 Billion, this place is a fiscally healthy academic powerhouse on par with any Ivy League school. Let's face it, while Ivan is a great kicker the way they sort this position out at the NCAA Div I level does not lead to a lot of certainty; at Williams he is certain to get a fantastic education that opens up a lot of doors upon graduation and he still gets to play football. As a Liberal Arts grad myself from a similar school I will give him the advice that he is in for a serious culture shock, Williams students come primarily from places like Phillips Academy and Choate Rosemary Hall. These places are far from an economically and racially mixed school like Benedictine.
nupanther
Well-known member
Since Harding has beaten Fitch 4 out of 5 I'll put the Raiders program slightly ahead of the Falcons
MrBeneBengal
Active member
Benedictine Bengals Freshman lose to Warren Harding 22-16. QB Luke Reed and RB Julius Robinson with rushing TD’s. Players to watch on the freshmen team ... Luke Reed , Julius Robinson , Eric Cloud, DiVonte James.
Team had some trouble on defense . Need some work . Hoping they get better as the season moves on .
Team had some trouble on defense . Need some work . Hoping they get better as the season moves on .
NEOFBREPORT
Active member
The team stuck together to get the win vs a solid Warren Harding team. There were high expectations going into the season for both teams. Both with returning OL & some defensive studs. Both QB's are experienced and can let it fly. Overall, it was a defensive battle. It caused some sloppy play on both sides. The difference was converting some big plays. This was Conkle's coming out party. Congrats to Conkle for being candidate for Cleveland.com Player of the Week! He provided a great spark. Other observations:
- Was surprised that the OL didnt have more push at LOS. Tough day for the run game. Credit to WH on some solid DL play, DE's were aggressive.
- DL & LB's played a solid game and looked to make adjustments needed from last year. Very solid play.
- DB's played solid, Hatcher played tight and Andre was in the back pocket all game. Hat tip to WH receivers for making some solid plays.
- QB play on both sides was overall solid. Both faced strong pressure. Didnt bend. Difference was Schultz completed some clutch throws for deep TD's!
Need to clean up drops, unneeded penalties when play was passed, and some special team improvements. Even with little time to prep & no scrimmages, the Bengals found a way to win! Time to work on cleaning up on what was learned from this game! Always good to get the 1st one.
Hoping the B's will be back on the helmets next week. I have never been to a Benedictine Varsity game with no B's? Thought that was a freshmen tradition? Also time to #FreeLott. Need to get that young man in the game. SVSM has a nice win and will also be ready come Friday. Will need to focus on stopping their big RB. Should be another good challenge.
- Was surprised that the OL didnt have more push at LOS. Tough day for the run game. Credit to WH on some solid DL play, DE's were aggressive.
- DL & LB's played a solid game and looked to make adjustments needed from last year. Very solid play.
- DB's played solid, Hatcher played tight and Andre was in the back pocket all game. Hat tip to WH receivers for making some solid plays.
- QB play on both sides was overall solid. Both faced strong pressure. Didnt bend. Difference was Schultz completed some clutch throws for deep TD's!
Need to clean up drops, unneeded penalties when play was passed, and some special team improvements. Even with little time to prep & no scrimmages, the Bengals found a way to win! Time to work on cleaning up on what was learned from this game! Always good to get the 1st one.
Hoping the B's will be back on the helmets next week. I have never been to a Benedictine Varsity game with no B's? Thought that was a freshmen tradition? Also time to #FreeLott. Need to get that young man in the game. SVSM has a nice win and will also be ready come Friday. Will need to focus on stopping their big RB. Should be another good challenge.
NEOFBREPORT
Active member
From Warren Tribune:
Chasing the Bengals
Warren Harding comes up short against Cleveland Benedictine
WARREN — The Warren G. Harding football team entered the season with a strong defense and was hoping the return of nearly the entire offensive line would give the Raiders more production with their rushing game.
That latter didn’t happen in the opener Saturday at Mollenkopf Stadium, but the Raiders showed a lot of resilience and sparks of a big-play passing game in a 24-17 loss to Cleveland Benedictine.
Trailing most of the game, Harding gave itself a chance to tie the score or take a late lead down the stretch.
“We never quit and we were right there in it at the end, against what I believe is a very good football team,” WGH coach Steve Arnold said. “Truthfully, I think we’re going to be a pretty good team, too. So maybe we’ll see these guys again down the road a bit (in the playoffs).
“It was a hard-nosed, defensive battle and it came down to a few plays. We’ll be fine.”
The Raiders missed a few opportunities. After trailing much of the contest and being down 17-3 entering the fourth quarter, they found some late life on offense.
Dom Foster hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Elijah Taylor with 5:52 remaining to cap a 12-play, 77-yard drive and make it 17-10.
Harding then forced a three-and-out and Benedictine punter Christian Cora scooped a one-hop snap on fourth-and-10 and took off running. Harding safety Da’Mari Freeman stopped him for a 1-yard loss and the Raiders took possession at the Bengals’ 26 with 3:35 remaining.
The Raiders faced a fourth-and-8 after a run and two incomplete passes. Taylor, a left-handed quarterback, was pressured and rolled to his right and couldn’t get a pass off before being swarmed under.
Benedictine ran on first down trying to get Harding to use one of its two remaining timeouts. The Raiders elected not to stop the clock, so the Bengals ran down the play clock and called timeout. Sensing Harding was selling out to stop the run, Benedictine coach Jarritt Goode decided to go for the jugular.
Quarterback Ronnie Schultz faked a handoff and waited for Marvin Conkle to break open on a post pattern. Schultz threw a perfect pass and Conkle outran defenders to the end zone to complete a 75-yard touchdown play and give the guests a 24-10 lead with 1:36 remaining.
“That took some guts because I’m sitting here with two timeouts and to throw deep … if they don’t connect there, we likely get the ball back with one timeout,” Arnold said. “So that gamble paid off for them. It was a great call and we had a young guy out there who’s going to be a good one. I don’t know what happened. We’ll have to watch the film.”
The Raiders weren’t deterred. They took the kickoff and covered 84 yards on 10 quick plays, with Taylor hooking up with Foster for a 7-yard touchdown pass with just five seconds left to account for the final score.
Freshman kicker Jake Daugherty then gave his team a chance to recover the on-side quick on a nice hop, but the Bengals eventually corralled the pigskin.
Daugherty gave Harding a 3-0 lead with a 21-yard field goal early in the second quarter and made both PATs, getting the aid from an upright on one of those.
But the Raiders were hoping for more rather than the field goal for the opening score, as Taylor and Foster hooked up on a 61-yard pass play that gave the hosts a first-and-goal from the Bengals’ 9-yard line.
“We had some opportunities both offensively and defensively, but just didn’t make the plays,” Arnold said. “Our secondary made great reads on four or five balls and we had our hands on the ball with a great chance of intercepting. We just didn’t pull the ball in and finish the play. We’ve got to do that.”
The biggest momentum shift in the game came just prior to halftime. With Harding trailing 7-3, Jabari Felton recovered a Benedictine fumble at midfield with 4:04 left. The Raiders eventually punted into the end zone and the Bengals took over at their 20 with 1:47 left.
Schultz threw a pass that a defender dropped on first down. An interception there could have tied the contest. Instead, Schultz found Conkle on a skinny post pattern and he split defenders and darted down the middle of the field for an 80-yard score that gave Benedictine a 17-3 halftime lead.
“(Those events) hurt pretty bad,” Arnold admitted. “But we always say ‘next play.’ We stayed calm and poised and came back and gave ourselves a chance. That’s what we ask of them after we make a mistake.”
Conkle was a thorn in Harding’s side all game, catching five passes for 184 yards. Schultz finished 10-for-22 for 230 yards.
The overall game statistics were as tight as the ballgame.
Foster had seven catches for 134 yards and Taylor finished 16-for-36 for 232 yards with one interception. That costly throw was tipped by a receiver and picked off by Andre’ Rogers Jr., who returned it 30 yards to the Harding 5. Gary Merrill scored on a 3-yard run two plays later to give the Bengals a 7-3 lead.
Both teams amassed 274 total yards and had one turnover. Benedictine had 11 first downs to Harding’s 10. Benedictine had 44 yards rushing, two more than Harding.
Chasing the Bengals
Warren Harding comes up short against Cleveland Benedictine
WARREN — The Warren G. Harding football team entered the season with a strong defense and was hoping the return of nearly the entire offensive line would give the Raiders more production with their rushing game.
That latter didn’t happen in the opener Saturday at Mollenkopf Stadium, but the Raiders showed a lot of resilience and sparks of a big-play passing game in a 24-17 loss to Cleveland Benedictine.
Trailing most of the game, Harding gave itself a chance to tie the score or take a late lead down the stretch.
“We never quit and we were right there in it at the end, against what I believe is a very good football team,” WGH coach Steve Arnold said. “Truthfully, I think we’re going to be a pretty good team, too. So maybe we’ll see these guys again down the road a bit (in the playoffs).
“It was a hard-nosed, defensive battle and it came down to a few plays. We’ll be fine.”
The Raiders missed a few opportunities. After trailing much of the contest and being down 17-3 entering the fourth quarter, they found some late life on offense.
Dom Foster hauled in a 21-yard touchdown pass from Elijah Taylor with 5:52 remaining to cap a 12-play, 77-yard drive and make it 17-10.
Harding then forced a three-and-out and Benedictine punter Christian Cora scooped a one-hop snap on fourth-and-10 and took off running. Harding safety Da’Mari Freeman stopped him for a 1-yard loss and the Raiders took possession at the Bengals’ 26 with 3:35 remaining.
The Raiders faced a fourth-and-8 after a run and two incomplete passes. Taylor, a left-handed quarterback, was pressured and rolled to his right and couldn’t get a pass off before being swarmed under.
Benedictine ran on first down trying to get Harding to use one of its two remaining timeouts. The Raiders elected not to stop the clock, so the Bengals ran down the play clock and called timeout. Sensing Harding was selling out to stop the run, Benedictine coach Jarritt Goode decided to go for the jugular.
Quarterback Ronnie Schultz faked a handoff and waited for Marvin Conkle to break open on a post pattern. Schultz threw a perfect pass and Conkle outran defenders to the end zone to complete a 75-yard touchdown play and give the guests a 24-10 lead with 1:36 remaining.
“That took some guts because I’m sitting here with two timeouts and to throw deep … if they don’t connect there, we likely get the ball back with one timeout,” Arnold said. “So that gamble paid off for them. It was a great call and we had a young guy out there who’s going to be a good one. I don’t know what happened. We’ll have to watch the film.”
The Raiders weren’t deterred. They took the kickoff and covered 84 yards on 10 quick plays, with Taylor hooking up with Foster for a 7-yard touchdown pass with just five seconds left to account for the final score.
Freshman kicker Jake Daugherty then gave his team a chance to recover the on-side quick on a nice hop, but the Bengals eventually corralled the pigskin.
Daugherty gave Harding a 3-0 lead with a 21-yard field goal early in the second quarter and made both PATs, getting the aid from an upright on one of those.
But the Raiders were hoping for more rather than the field goal for the opening score, as Taylor and Foster hooked up on a 61-yard pass play that gave the hosts a first-and-goal from the Bengals’ 9-yard line.
“We had some opportunities both offensively and defensively, but just didn’t make the plays,” Arnold said. “Our secondary made great reads on four or five balls and we had our hands on the ball with a great chance of intercepting. We just didn’t pull the ball in and finish the play. We’ve got to do that.”
The biggest momentum shift in the game came just prior to halftime. With Harding trailing 7-3, Jabari Felton recovered a Benedictine fumble at midfield with 4:04 left. The Raiders eventually punted into the end zone and the Bengals took over at their 20 with 1:47 left.
Schultz threw a pass that a defender dropped on first down. An interception there could have tied the contest. Instead, Schultz found Conkle on a skinny post pattern and he split defenders and darted down the middle of the field for an 80-yard score that gave Benedictine a 17-3 halftime lead.
“(Those events) hurt pretty bad,” Arnold admitted. “But we always say ‘next play.’ We stayed calm and poised and came back and gave ourselves a chance. That’s what we ask of them after we make a mistake.”
Conkle was a thorn in Harding’s side all game, catching five passes for 184 yards. Schultz finished 10-for-22 for 230 yards.
The overall game statistics were as tight as the ballgame.
Foster had seven catches for 134 yards and Taylor finished 16-for-36 for 232 yards with one interception. That costly throw was tipped by a receiver and picked off by Andre’ Rogers Jr., who returned it 30 yards to the Harding 5. Gary Merrill scored on a 3-yard run two plays later to give the Bengals a 7-3 lead.
Both teams amassed 274 total yards and had one turnover. Benedictine had 11 first downs to Harding’s 10. Benedictine had 44 yards rushing, two more than Harding.
MrBeneBengal
Active member
I heard you have to earn the “ B “ , and they did with a victory .
NEOFBREPORT
Active member
is that new? Or are they bringing back a 1960’s tradition? Either way looked like a JV uniform. Good thing they “earned” a sticker. I hope the players who didn’t get to play get a B! Should help to complete the uniform—-look good, feel good, play good!
MrBeneBengal
Active member
I guess this was Coach Goode’s idea ....
Auggie
Well-known member
Excellent takes on the game. The LBs in particular looked great and made plays all over the field, very athletic and I can see why the defense changed the scheme to get more of these guys on the field. The passing game will be the strength of the offense and I would think in the long run will only get better, weather becomes a factor later in the season and the run game will need to improve by a lot if they want to compete with the bigger boys in Div II. To me the OL looked stiff and played un-athletic, it looks like all these dudes did in the off-season is post social media bits of them lifting. How about mixing in some dexterity drills so athletic DLs and especially LBs don't just finesse past these guys, Massilon, Ed's, & Hoban will have a field day if this is what we are going to see the balance of the season. And to be honest I am worried that is what we will have as this is not something you can work on during game weeks. Also punt return needs to learn to fair catch a ball and not give up chunks of yards as a ball rolls dead.
As for the no Flying Bs on the helmets... This was a tradition that I know was around in the late 70's into the '80s, no decal until you won a game and earned it. Coach Goode gets the tradition aspect of the program and it looks like the blue unis now has a "AB" on the front. Only thing is I am not into the "All hail" thing, to me if they want to brand via letters I think "MOB" is cool and for folks outside of the program they need to ask to learn that it represents Men of Benedictine.
A good win over a solid WGH team. Keeping tabs on the Bengals and expecting to see them sometime in the playoffs...assuming the season lasts that long and Avon and Benedictine remain in the same region/division.
Auggie
Well-known member
Nice W for Avon too. You guys have a great opening week tradition going with Avon Lake.
Not a Goode idea, Coach Bossu did it in the 70's , 80's and some 90's. Earn the "B" with a win Go Bengals beat St V. #MOB
MrBeneBengal
Active member
Our football allotment for tickets this week is 40. Senior Parents will have 1st opportunity to purchase only one ticket. The link and password will be sent to Senior Parents on Thursday at 3:00 PM, it is first come first serve.
Auggie
Well-known member
WTF, 40 tickets?!? I have no interest in going but all varsity football parents should get at least 2 tickets to a game, home or away.
According to the stadium data base Green Street Stadium holds 3000 spectators: http://ohiostadiums.com/stadium.php?id=1549
15% of that would be 450 spectators. You mean to tell me that SVSM has 410 parents that need tickets? In these challenging times a fair amount would be 2 per player so if they dressed a large roster of 75 players that would be 150, who is getting the balance of the tickets? I am cool with band members and cheerleaders getting some tixs but the visitor's dressing players should at least get their folks into the stadium and then work back from there. Seems kind of selfish to me Irish Athletic Admin.
According to the stadium data base Green Street Stadium holds 3000 spectators: http://ohiostadiums.com/stadium.php?id=1549
15% of that would be 450 spectators. You mean to tell me that SVSM has 410 parents that need tickets? In these challenging times a fair amount would be 2 per player so if they dressed a large roster of 75 players that would be 150, who is getting the balance of the tickets? I am cool with band members and cheerleaders getting some tixs but the visitor's dressing players should at least get their folks into the stadium and then work back from there. Seems kind of selfish to me Irish Athletic Admin.
Y
I agree, I think it’s terrible. That’s not even enough tickets for our senior’s parents.
MrBeneBengal
Active member
From what I have heard, Benedictine will not be able to live stream the game tomorrow . Not enough room in the press box . I guess St Vincent will stream the game but there will be a fee.
Can’t have parents at the game. Can’t have a live stream. Next thing we’ll find out is that they’ll only allow 20 players and 3 coaches.
YtownJohnny
Well-known member
At least the boys get to play