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Week 2- Warren G. Harding (0-1) @ Akron Buchtel (0-1)

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After the “soft opening” of the 2025 NCAA football season over the weekend, week two of OHSAA football will be accompanied by a huge Saturday of multiple major college football teams.  To signify this glorious time of the year, this week’s cover photo for the Warren G. Harding vs. Akron Buchtel football matchup will, like last year, feature some of the former gridiron greats from both high schools who went on to take their talents to the NCAA level.  Both programs enter this week looking to improve on efforts that left them coming up short in week one. 

 

Warren G. Harding junior MiKing Adair returns a kickoff 89 yards to the Canton McKinley 10-yard line during the season opener.


For Harding, their annual clash with archrival Canton McKinley was a “tug of war” in the trenches as both teams ran the football at least 30 times apiece.  While both defenses created opportunities for their teams by forcing a pair of turnovers, it was the Bulldogs that ended up making the most of theirs as they pulled away late for a 43-25 victory.


Warren G. Harding junior linebacker Asa Burch (#7) forces & recovers a fumble by Canton McKInley quarterback Trent Hayden in week 1.


Despite the setback, the Raiders learned an awful lot about themselves that should prove vital to their future moving forward.  One of the biggest things is that they can put the "special" in “special teams” as the unit left its fingerprints all over the contest courtesy of juniors Miking Adair, who averaged 61 yards per kickoff return on three returns, and kicker Jaron Edmonds, who also had a monster career day.  After accounting for three field goals for all of 2023, he connected on four of his attempts while also kicking the same amount of touchbacks.  


Harding junior kicker Jaron Edmonds nails the third of his career-high four field goals against McKinley from 27 yards out.


This week, Harding will look to fully maximize their opportunities on offense.  That said, they know that they are fully equipped to do so as quarterback James Jones threw an 18-yard touchdown pass to Julius “Juju" Ferrell, the first score of his career in a Raider uniform to go along with his 59 receiving yards on five catches.  Senior quarterback Amiere Cobb also displayed his playmaking ability as he scrambled for a 25-yard touchdown run.


Harding quarterback James Jones connects with Julius Ferrell on an 18-yard touchdown pass vs. McKinley.


For 33 games from 2022 through 2024, Buchtel was led by quarterback Stevie Diamond as he completed 285-of-598 passes for 4,068 yards, 42 touchdowns and 24 interceptions.  In addition to that, he carried the ball 242 times for 667 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns.  Those career efforts led to his current situation as he is now a Walsh Cavalier. 

 

Then-Buchtel senior quarterback Stevie Diamond scarmbles and finds Xavier Wilson for a 15-yard touchdown pass vs. Harding in 2024.


Just as they did with Diamond three seasons ago, the Griffins have now handed the keys to another sophomore quarterback in Arthur Thomas, who completed 10-of-20 passes for 50 yards in his varsity debut against North Canton Hoover.  His top target was senior Daurean Johnson, who hauled in two catches for 19 yards while hauling in an interception on defense.  Their ground attack will be by committee with senior duo Kylar Wilson and Marcus Britt getting the bulk of the carries.

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Buchtel senior Daurean Johnson is a dynamic two-way player for the Griffins.


Defensively, senior defensive lineman led the Griffins with seven tackles (5 solo) against Hoover while Wilson's pair of stops went for sacks. One player who Harding will definitely have to be aware of is senior Karter Dawson. While he recorded four tackles (all solo) against Hoover, he showed off his skills on offense against the Raiders last year when he finished with four catches for 74 yards and two touchdowns.

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Buchtel senior Kylar Wilson plays a huge role on both sides of the ball for the Griffins.

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