For long-time fans of Warren G. Harding's football program, a record of 2-1 isn't exactly a "movie" that hasn't been seen before. However, with the way that the more recent schedules have been set up with, early season victories haven't been easy to come by. This decade alone, programs the likes of Canton McKinley, Massillon, Hudson, Medina, Cleveland Benedictine, and Farrell (PA) have all handed the Raiders losses within the first three weeks of the season.
Warren G. Harding senior Brandon Coleman Jr. scores on a 5-yard touchdown run against Perry in week 3. It marked the first time that Perry's defense was scored on in 2024.
While Harding continues to schedule strong football programs in 2024, head coach Matt Richardson and his experienced staff have broken the cycle of early season woes as today, the Raiders are above .500 for the first time since they headed into Week 10 of 2021 with a record of 5-4. Today's senior class, who were freshmen during the 2021 football season, now have a chance to show today's young athletes what it takes to win big games.
Warren G. Harding sophomore Jaron "G.G." Edmonds kicks the successful extra point to give Harding a 7-0 lead in the second quarter against Perry in week 3.
One of those seniors is Chaz Coleman, a 6-foot-5, 230-pound "athlete" who does a little bit of everything for the Raiders. Perry certainly won't forget about him any time soon as he tallied 96 rushing yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. The last of which was a 6-yard touchdown run that came with 0:35 remaining in regulation. For good measure, Coleman also ran in the ensuing two-point conversion that gave the Raiders a 15-9 lead. Defensively, Coleman registered two sacks and hauled in the game-sealing interception in the end zone as time expired.
With 0:35 remaining in regulation, Harding senior Chaz Coleman runs the ball into the end zone from six yards out. He also added the ensuing two-point conversion to give the Raiders a 15-9 lead.
After only starting in four games in 2023, Coleman has proven his worth as a leader through Harding's first three contests this season. To date, he is 15-of-24 for 151 yards and one touchdown while he's added 215 rushing yards and another two scores on 44 carries. His two touchdown runs are matched by his brother Brandon Coleman Jr., who opened up the scoring this past Friday night with a 5-yard touchdown run against Perry, and sophomore Mi'King Adair, who has also rushed for 142 yards. The Raiders' top receiving targets thus far have been a paie of seniors in Youngstown State commit Stephen Sims (7 catches for 61 yards) and Marcus Crum Jr. (5 catches for 60 yards & 1 touchdown).
Chaz Coleman intercepts Perry's Hail Mary attempt as time expeired to seal Harding's 15-9 victory.
Defensively, Chaz Coleman leads Harding with three sacks and is matched by classmates Raylin Adams and Airiz Coleman Bey as they all have one interception apiece (Coleman Bey's was returned 31 yards for a touchdown against canton McKinley). Seniors Kenneth Byrd Jr. (2), Deshawn Wynn, and Aiden Allen have also registered sacks for the Raiders.
In week 3, Harding senior Kenneth Byrd Jr. (#52) sacks Perry quarterback Austin Mattox late in the 4th quarter.
Harding's week 4 opponent is a school that's well known throughout the entire country in St. Vincent-St. Mary High School. While being the alma mater of current NBA player and future Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer LeBron James, he's not the only great athlete that once roamed the halls at 15 North Maple Street in Akron. One of those legends includes Doran Grant, a 2011 alum who was a four-year letterman at wide receiver, cornerback, and kick returner. In his high school football career for the Fighting Irish, he hauled in 88 receptions for 1,115 yards & 25 touchdowns while defensively, he registered 203 tackles and six interceptions. As a result, he was ranked as the #3 cornerback in the country by Rivals.com for the class of 2011. That led to his four-year collegiate career at Ohio State, where he was part of their 2014 national championship team, and a four-year stint in the NFL. Grant last played for the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League in 2020.
Ranked the 3rd best cornerback in the country for the class of 2011 by Rivals.com, former SVSM star Doran Grant is now the head coach of his alma mater.
On December 14, 2023, St. Vincent-St. Mary announced the hiring of Grant as the 10th head coach in their football program's proud history. He succeeds the legendary Terry Cistone, who spent the final two years of his 42-year coaching career as the head of the Fighting Irish. He announced his retirement the morning of October 28, 2023, which was a day after St. Vincent-St. Mary's 35-0 playoff loss to Harding.
One of the more accomplished athletes and Fighting Irish history, Grant was brought in to breathe life into the perennial powerhouse. One of the more dynamic weapons that he inherited is tailback Donald "Duck" Johnson. While a late-season injury made him unavailable for the week 11 defeat at the hands of Harding, he previously had a lot of success against the Raiders seven weeks prior as he compiled 233 rushing yards and four touchdowns in St. Vincent-St. Mary's 42-28 win over Harding. Unfortunately for the Fighting Irish, Johnson's availability for this Friday's matchup in Warren is now a question mark as he suffered a first half injury this past Friday against Walsh Jesuit that put him out for the rest of the game.
On September 8, 2023, SVSM tailback Donald "Duck" Johnson rushed for 233 yards & 4 touchdowns in a 42-28 victory over Harding.
St. Vincent-St. Mary's matchup against Walsh Jesuit also marked the first start in the career of quarterback William Adamson, who is one of several freshmen that's currently getting varsity action for the Fighting Irish due to key injuries. In the words of Grant to the Akron Beacon Journal, "We're grinding and transforming the program little by little."
Freshman St. Vincent-St. Mary quarterback William Adamson made his first career start against Walsh Jesuit in week 3.
After winning the first game of his head coaching career against Mansfield, Grant's Fighting Irish have been outscored 69 to 0 over the last two weeks. However, he originally pursued the job knowing that things weren't going to be easy. He knows what it takes to succeed at the highest level of football and at any given time, the light bulb can go off within his program. He'll look to senior Mekhi Madison, who just received his first scholarship offer from Marshall last week, to lead the team at both running back and defensive end. He'll be joined on defense by Logan Henderson, a 6-foot-2, 228-pound linebacker who currently holds scholarship offers from the likes of Brown University, Drake, and Ohio Dominican. Fellow linebacker Duke Clayton and defensive back Marcus Reed are also key contributors for the Fighting Irish.
This Friday, Warren will pay homage to the 1974 Harding Panthers, who finished 11-1 en route to winning the OHSAA Class AAA state championship, by wearing their classic red, white, and black colors. Like the '74 Panthers, Harding's lone loss this season was to Canton McKinley. What better way for Harding to eventually cap off the 50th anniversary of the '74 championship with another state title in 2024? While I'm certain that Coach Richardson would love nothing more for that to eventually become a reality, the only thing that he's focused on right now is getting better every day and working towards the third victory of his head coaching career.
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