There was nothing or fancy about what Harrisburg did in the first half Friday night at Speed Ebersole Stadium. The Cougars simply lined up tight and ran the ball right at Central Dauphin. Only one pass attempt and 31 running plays produced 27 points and 242 yards on the ground.
“First half we were dominant. We were hitting everything we wanted and bascially doing whatever we wanted to do,” Harrisburg coach Calvin Everett said. “The offensive line stepped up big. They were opening up holes and fighting. We were running the ball right up the middle and they definitely made a big difference tonight.”
Robert Martin had 97 yards and a touchdown. Darian Davis-Ray had two scores and Dominique Shurns produced a dazzling 75-yard touchdown run.
The Central Dauphin defense pushed back in the second half and limited the Cougars to 149 total yards and zero points after the break. But the early thunder by the Cougars was just enough to finish off the 2011 PIAA Class AAAA champions.