Senior too much for Harding in 49-14 win
LIMA — Lima Senior powered past Marion Harding 49-14 in their lightning-delayed nonleague game Friday night.
The contest was delayed one hour and 15 minutes before the kickoff in Spartan Stadium.
Lima Senior (2-0), as it did in last year’s 48-0 win over Harding (0-2), scored on its first play from scrimmage.
Last year it was for 66 yards. This year it was a 52-yard pass from Darius Gordon to Ruben Flowers, who has committed to play college ball at Pittsburgh.
The play was a double-reverse flea flicker. Cole Miracle’s kick gave the hosts a 7-0 edge.
After a six-yard Harding punt following Flowers’ TD, Senior scored again as Jaden Walker hit the end zone on a 3-yard run. Miracle’s second PAT boot put Lima up 14-0 only 3 1/2 minutes into the contest.
Walker hit paydirt again on Lima’s third possession of the game on a 5-yard run. The PAT kick made it 21-0 Senior High.
Harding put together a decent series after that score and took the ball to the Senior 38. Ryan Sayre connected with Bryce Starner on a pair of passes totaling 19 yards in the drive, which ended when the Presidents had to punt.
Walker scored his third TD of the evening on the initial series of the second quarter on a 19-yard run to put the hosts ahead 28-0.
Gordon, who threw for 231 yards in the first half, then hit Keaton Upshaw on a 3-yard pass. The kick failed, but Lima was on top 34-0.
Harding, though, put some life into its fans with a pair of touchdowns.
The first came on a 1-yard run by Sayre following two passes to T.J. Jefferson which accounted for 48 yards.
Jefferson fumbled the ball at the Lima 2-yard line on the second reception. Roger Hamon pounced on that loose ball, and on fourth down Sayre slugged his way into the end zone. A kick for the point failed.
Jefferson then intercepted a Gordon pass at the Harding 30 and took it back to the Lima 21. A late-hit penalty put Harding at the Lima 11, and two plays later Titus Douglas scored on a 10-yard run.
Harding converted a two-point PAT as Sayre passed to Keyan Herrell.
Harding was down by only 20 at that point at 34-14, but Senior rebounded with a 3-yard TD run by Gordon and a Gordon pass to Flowers for the PAT to lead 42-14 at the half.
Tyriq Harris notched an interception for Harding in the third period.
That set up an 11-play Harding drive which went to the Senior 8-yard line before it stalled on downs.
Lima Senior added points with 28 seconds left in the third period as Gordon threw 25 yards to Jaleel Long and Miracle kicked the PAT.
With a running clock, Harding ran every play but one in the fourth period and got the ball to the Senior 2-yard line before a fumble put an end to it and the game.
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