Claymont snaps skid against Harrison in rivalry series

 The Battle for Tappan Lake has long been a lopsided affair, but unfortunately for the Harrison Central Huskies the 2025 edition of the rivalry felt much different in comparison to years past. In short, the Mustangs are running a little stronger in Uhrichsville these days, and proof of that played out last Friday night at Wagner Field in Cadiz. The Mustangs ran wild, amassing 325-rushing yards in route to a 34-14 week one victory. 

The Mustangs jumped out to an early 8-0 lead in the first quarter, and while the Huskies showed some signs of life in the second frame, the longer the night went on it was clear a physical mismatch was unfolding. The first strike came after a contested toss landed in the hands of Claymont’s Mason Bailey who proceeded to break through a trio of Harrison defensive backs for a 77-yard touchdown. With just over a minute gone from the opening quarter clock, the Huskies were facing an uphill battle. 

The Stangs struck again just moments into the second, putting together a nine play 47-yard drive that Nolan McMorrow capped off with a three-yard skip into the endzone. With 10:42 remaining in the first half, Claymont was in control 14-0. McMorrow would go on to finish with two rushing touchdowns and an interception in what was a big night for the senior on both sides of the ball. 

While many Harrison fans may have entered the stadium expecting business as usual in squaring off with Claymont, there was at least one person who knew better. 

"This game is always a tough game. Records or past results go out the window. We knew coming in just based on last year’s game that they were going to be a problem for us. They returned 19/22 starters on both sides of the ball (all 11 on defense and 8/11 on offense). Their size gave us problems just as we expected. I thought that when we did things right, they struggled against us. Unfortunately, we didn’t execute as much as they did and that was the ultimate difference. Offensively, we were a block away from springing a big play. Little things matter. We will get back to work because we have a really tough Newcomerstown team this week who plays big and physical,” stated Harrison Central Head Coach Anthony Hayes in the postgame teardown. 

A majority of Harrison’s success came on the perimeter, with senior Kayne Dunkle emerging as the outside workhorse. The Huskies responded to the Mustangs second touchdown with a promising drive of their own, as Dunkle caught two passes totaling 33-yards with a late hit penalty mixed in to set the Huskies up inside the Mustangs three-yard line. Fellow senior Beau Rinkes finished the job with a two-yard dive, and after a successful Noah Thaxton PAT it was 14-7 with 9:22 remaining in the second. 

If that didn’t shift momentum in Harrison’s favor, the ensuing Mustangs offensive drive certainly did. Even if it was painfully short-lived. Mustangs quarterback Carson Golec dropped back to pass and floated one down the visitor’s sideline to Jackson Jinks. What was waiting there however was Dunkle, playing from his corner position on defense who deflected the ball away from Jinks directly into the hands of teammate-safety Brady Hyre. Hyre returned the ball out to the Huskies 27-yard line, but disaster was just around the corner when the Huskies offense took over possession. 

With that aforementioned momentum swing in mind, the Huskies offense took the field only to turn around and report directly back to the sideline. On the first play following the interception, a mix-up with a handoff in the Huskies backfield led to a turnover exchange that would prove costly. Claymont, now armed with prime field position scored to go up 20-7 just four plays later. 

Senior Beau Rinkes took a screen pass 54 yards on the ensuing drive, setting up the Huskies at the Mustangs six-yard line just before intermission. But three plays produced negative yardage, and the Huskies were unsuccessful on a 4th and goal attempt from the seven-yard line. 

Coming out of the break, the Mustangs tacked on two more touchdowns to take total control of the game 34-7. With 37 seconds remaining in the third, Jacob Quito toted a screen pass 33 yards to the Holmes Avenue endzone, closing out all scoring as the fourth frame went silent. 

Huskies quarterback Brady Hyre finished 8/13 passing for 157-yards and the lone strike to Quito. As a team, the Huskies rushed for 80-yards on 26 carries. 

Even with the setback, Harrison still owns the all-time Claymont series lead 13-5, the Mustangs victory snapped a six-game losing streak in the rivalry dating back to 2015.