Week 3- Warren G. Harding (1-1) @ Massillon Perry (2-0)
- David Baugh
- 11 minutes ago
- 3 min read
After going scoreless for the first six quarters of the 2026 season, a light bulb went off in Warren G. Harding’s offense late in the third quarter against Youngstown High School. That’s when senior quarterback James Jones threw a 40-yard dart to promising sophomore Lavez Powell that set the Raiders up in the red zone for the first time in the contest. Three plays later, Jones connected with junior Kai Parker on a 19-yard touchdown pass. The extra point by senior Jaron Edmonds made the score 12-7 to cut a bit more than halfway into the Defenders’ lead with 1:11 remaining in the third quarter.
Harding senior quarterback James Jones connects with junior Kai Parker for a 19-yard touchdown against Youngstown High School on 08/28/2026.
After the Harding defense held Youngstown to a three & out on their ensuing drive, senior and Central Michigan University commit Matt Richardson set his teammates up with great field position with a 20-yard punt return that was aided by a late hit. Three plays after that from the 4-yard line, junior tailback Makhai Brogdon carried the ball into the end zone for his first score of the year to give the Raiders their first lead of the young season at 13-12 with 11:26 remaining in the 4th quarter.
Harding junior tailback Makhai Brogdon scores his first touchdown of 2026 on a 4-yard run against Youngstown High School on 08/28/2026.
Just twenty seconds of game action later on the Defenders’ first offensive play on their ensuing drive, Harding senior defensive back Antonio Dukes hauled in the first interception of his career at the Youngstown 35-yard line, headed for the sideline, and took the ball into the end zone. With another extra point by Edmonds, the Raiders secured 20 points in less than two minutes of game time. Those points eventually went unanswered as Harding was victorious in their home opener at Mollenkopf Stadium 20-12.
Harding senior defensive back Antonio Dukes hauls in an interception and returns it 35 yards for a touchdown against Youngstown High School on 08/28/2026.
To date, Brogdon has been the workhorse on offense with 168 rushing yards and one touchdown on 39 carries. Defensively, Harding has tackles for losses from Richardson, Asa Burch, Justice Dukes, Brendon Butler, Kellen Brown, and University of Cincinnati commit Zay’vion Smith. Sacks have come courtesy of Burch and Butler while Dukes, Richardson, and junior Elias Johnson have all hauled in interceptions. When you throw in Dukes’ pick-6, the defense has contributed in every way possible. After showing signs of life this past Friday, Harding’s offense will look to establish consistency earlier and often as they progress into the stiff challenge that awaits in week three.
Harding junior cornerback Elias Johnson hauls in the first interception of his career against Youngstown High School on 08/28/2026.
Next up on the aforementioned slate is a Massillon Perry team that couldn’t have gotten off to a hotter start. Through two games, the Panthers are averaging 405.5 total yards per game and have outscored their opposition 83 to 7. A big chunk of that offensive production has come from senior tailback Jonathan Lemon, who enters week 3 with 29 carries for 368 yards (12.7 yards per carry) and six touchdowns with a 90-yard kickoff return for a touchdown also on his resume. Avery Blake, Jayden Petty, and Landyn Belknap have each ran for a touchdown for Perry as well.
Massillon Perry senior Jonathan Lemon rtuens a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown against Canton Central Catholic on 08-21-2026.
This season, the Panthers are utilizing a two-quarterback system with junior Cameron Treharn (11-of-19 for 129 yards & one touchdown against Harding in 2025) and sophomore Conner Boudrie, who both came out of the gate swinging in their week one matchup against Canton Central Catholic. In that season-opening contest, Treharn threw a 59-yard touchdown pass to senior Reagan Stuhldreher while Boudrie connected with junior Everett Daugherty for a 12-yard touchdown.
Then-Massillon Perry sophomore quarterback Cameron Treharn connects with senior Jayden Wilson for a 37-yard touchdown pass against Harding on 09/05/2025
Defensively, senior linebacker Anthony Marino and junior Mitchell Takas headline a Panther defense that is coming off of a stellar performance as they limited Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary to just 108 total yards in a 41-0 victory. That side of the ball will be a point of emphasis for Perry head coach Spencer Leno, who is in his second year at the helm after spending the previous seven years as the defensive coordinator for Massillon. That tenure includes the Tigers' OHSAA Division II state championship run in 2023.
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