Farmington Hills Harrison Dominates Cass Tech 43-7 In Showdown

YPSILANTI – What started as a matchup of two high school football heavyweights Saturday night turned into a first-round knockout.

In the primetime game of the 2011 Big Prep Showdown at Rynearson Stadium, made a statement, beating Cass Tech 43-7 to open the Hawks' season.

Both teams went into the game ranked in the preseason top 25, but only one of them left Eastern Michigan University looking like a title contender. 

“This is a great start,” senior lineman Mario Ojemudia said. “Everybody on our schedule has something to look forward to when they play us.”

The Hawks scored four rushing touchdowns in the first half to take a commanding 29-0 lead going into halftime.  

Quarterback Jake Vento started the scoring off for Harrison with 3:25 left in the first quarter. He capped a 5-minute drive with a 1-yard rushing touchdown to make the game 7-0.  

Sophomore Lorenzo Collins scored 12 seconds into the second quarter and running back Austin Hunter scored two rushing touchdowns before halftime.

“I thought our tailbacks did a nice job,” head coach John Herrington said. “Lorenzo is going to be a super player, he gave us a real burst and Austin gave us some straight ahead stuff.” 

Vento was starting his first game at quarterback for Harrison, and Herrington wanted to establish the run early to help him out. Out of the Hawks' first 12 plays, only three were passes.

“I wanted to make it easy on Jake,” Herrington said.

But Herrington didn’t really need to. His quarterback received the MVP award for his performance.

The senior was 13-for-19 with 199 yards and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). He came out of the game at the end of the third quarter. 

Vento showcased his mobility for the Eastern Michigan University crowd. Herrington put his first-year quarterback on the move, rolling him out of the pocket to both sidelines. Vento seemed comfortable hitting his receivers downfield on the run.

“He’s a very good spread out passer and bootleg passer,” Herrington said. “That’s what we did a little better on, he was good.”

A 31-yard touchdown pass from Jake Vento to Devin Funchess on Harrison’s first possession of the second half forced a running clock three and half minutes into the quarter.

All the offense was probably unnecessary, considering the way the Hawks' defensive starters were playing. That first touchdown from Vento might’ve been enough to win them the game.

“(The defense was) better than I expected, we didn’t do that well in the scrimmage,” Herrington said. “The defense stepped up big, they couldn’t get yards on the ground and our secondary was very good.”

Cass Tech had seven possessions in the first half. Only one didn’t end in a punt; unfortunately for Technicians fans, it ended in an interception.

Harrison’s front five consistently put pressure on Cass Tech quarterback Kevin Briscoe. He finished the game completing only 4-of-21 pass attempts. The senior was knocked out of the game scrambling out of the pocket at the end of the third quarter.

Harrison's secondary finished the game with two interceptions. Devin Funchess nabbed an interception in the first half, and Jordan Head had one in the second. 

“The defensive backs really locked them down,” Ojemudia said. “They gave us time to get to the quarterback and cause some pressure. I didn’t get any sacks, but we caused a lot of pressure.”

Against the run, the Hawks were even better. Cass Tech didn’t have a carry of more than four yards until the third quarter. Cass Tech only managed 15 yards on the ground in the first half. For the game, Harrison only allowed 133 net yards.

Harrison will now shift its focus to the Oakland Activities Association. The team's first divisional matchup is next week on Thursday at Southfield (4 p.m.).

“We just have to focus up each week, starting on Monday we have to start getting ready for Southfield and the next game,” Vento said.