Presidents still progressing despite loss

MARION — The continuing growth of the Marion Harding football team was evident last week, even with a heartbreaking loss to Galion.

That 24-21 defeat put Harding at 2-4 for the season, three weeks after breaking a 16-game losing streak. The Presidents are also 2-1 in the Mid Ohio Athletic Conference entering Friday's game at Jonathan Alder.

"If any good comes out of last week, 100 percent of the coaching staff and 100 percent of the players believed we were going to kick a field goal or score a touchdown on our last drive to win the ballgame," said Harding head coach John Brady.

Trailing 24-21 with 2:08 remaining, Harding fumbled the ball away at the Galion 38-yard line to stop its last effort for points.

"The kid from Galion made a nice strip of the ball, but turnovers throughout the game will put you in situations where it's hard to overcome," Brady said. "We let that game slip away, not just because of that last fumble but because of many mistakes we made in the game.

"Years ago, Harding may have given up. These kids are not down."

As Brady went on to say, there were so many positives in the game for the Presidents.

On offense, Harding churned out 317 total yards behind the passing of Ryan Sayre and the rushing of Titus Douglas. Douglas ran for 83 yards while Sayre completed 13-of-14 passes for 159 yards.

"We've had so much turnover in the staff the past few years, the kids are constantly learning new things," said Harding offensive coordinator C.J. Westler. "But they are understanding where they are supposed to be so they can play fast.

"Douglas has run well, but it all starts with Sayre and he has played well, too. When the kids start to taste success, it snowballs."

Harding's defense has also stepped to the front behind the coaching of coordinator Jerrod Slater.

The Presidents did allow Drake Barnett to rush for 160 yards last week, but Barnett has been doing that to everyone this fall as the leading rusher in the MOAC.

Take away Barnett's rushing yards and the Presidents held the remaining Tigers to only 83 yards for the game.

"The difference in our play has been like night and day since Week 1," Slater said. "The effort by the kids has always been there. It's just been the execution of the game plan and the kids trusting in our game plan.

"Their goal is to get the offense going."

Those efforts will be trained Friday on a Jonathan Alder squad which is 5-1 overall and 3-0 in the MOAC Red Division, one game ahead of the Presidents in the standings.

The Pioneers are coming off of a 35-20 victory over Buckeye Valley, another of the MOAC Red contenders.

JA senior running back Sean Sullivan ran for 204 yards and a pair of scores in that contest, and he now shows 644 rushing yards for the season.

Another threat in the backfield is junior fullback Austin Fooce, who at 215 pounds gives the Pioneers a larger back to go to. He has accounted for eight TDs this season.

Sophomore quarterback Preston Eisnaugle has had a good campaign for the Pioneers as well. His 8-of-10 showing for 160 yards and a pair of scores against BV upped his passing totals to 66-of-101 passing for 979 yards and 10 scores for the season.

Eisnaugle's main target is 6-foot-5, 230-pound junior Trey Pugh, the top pass catcher in the conference. Pugh has 33 receptions for 443 yards and four scores.

"They use the 'kiss' method, which is 'keep it simple stupid,'" Brady said. "They just let their players play, and they are well coached in that they don't make mental mistakes. Whatever they do that week, they do very well.

"We will have to execute up front where they are big, and we'll have to take a page out of their book by keeping it simple and doing what we do best. We will also have to get our playmakers the ball."

dmcphers@nncogannett.com

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Twitter: @starsportsdenny

FRIDAY'S SCHEDULE

Marion Harding at Jonathan Alder, 7 p.m.; Cardington-Lincoln at Elgin, 7 p.m.; Pleasant at Buckeye Valley, 7 p.m.; Ridgedale at Carey, 7 p.m.; River Valley at Galion, 7 p.m.; North Union at Fairbanks, 7 p.m.; Centerburg at Fredericktown, 7 p.m.; East Knox at Mount Gilead, 7 p.m.; Northmor at Highland, 7 p.m.