Harrison downs Southfield, moves to 3-0

ROD BEARD

The Detroit News

Southfield -- It's only Week 3, but Farmington Hills Harrison is back to its winning ways.

After finishing 4-5 last season -- just its third losing season since 1973 -- Harrison is 3-0 after a convincing 34-12 victory over Southfield on Friday night in an Oakland Activities Association showdown.

Harrison senior quarterback Vince Salatino threw for two touchdown passes and ran for another, and Steve Slobin had two touchdown runs and caught another.

"It's nice (to be 3-0). We were 2-0 last year and thought we'd be okay, but we finished 4-5," Harrison coach John Herrington said. "It's a big win for us. We couldn't get by them last year, but we did today."

Harrison (3-0, 2-0 White) opened the season with easy victories over Lahser and Rochester, but Southfield, which went 11-2 last season and had the best season in school history, provided Harrison's toughest test this season. Southfield won the matchup last season, 27-7.

Harrison scored on its first two possessions and jumped to a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. Slobin scored on a 3-yard run at the 7:21 mark and then a 5-yard run with 3:56 left. Slobin finished with 15 carries for 63 yards.

Southfield (2-1, 2-1) responded on its next possession, after sophomore quarterback Brandon Watkins scored on a 56-yard run to cut the deficit to 14-6. Dae'Von Robinson's interception gave Southfield the ball on Harrison's 30-yard line. Nine plays later, Alonzo Graham scored on a 7-yard run to make it 14-12.

"You can't give up 14 points to start the game," Southfield coach Tim Conley said. "Once (Harrison) gets confidence, they don't have to pass the ball -- and that puts a lot of pressure on us."

In the second half, Harrison scored on its first possession on a four-play drive, capped by a 39-yard pass play from Salatino to sophomore Aaron Burbridge. The conversion failed and the Harrison led, 20-12. Southfield fumbled on its next possession and Harrison needed only four plays to extend the lead, on Slobin's 12-yard screen pass from Salatino.

"We didn't think we'd be able to run the ball as well as we did against Southfield," Herrington said, "but we did, and we were able to make some key passes."

The success of the run and pass sustained drives for Harrison and kept Southfield's defense on the field for extended possessions.

"We kept our poise. The defense forced turnovers and put the offense in a good position," Salatino said. "We spent most of the time working on their side of the field."

Salatino finished the scoring with an 8-yard run with 2:59 left in the game, icing another win for Harrison.

"We thought we were back before today," Salatino said. "But today is a turning point."

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September 12, 2009

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