Richards capitalizes on mistakes

Updated: March 22, 2011 4:24PM

Richards turned Harlan mistakes into points Saturday and the No. 23 Bulldogs went on to win their season opener 21-0 at Gately Stadium.

Richards played without running back Chris Elliott, who suffered a neck injury on his first carry. His helmet was immobilized as he was taken off the field on a stretcher, but he was moving his arms and legs.

"He had a little numbness, but the feeling was coming back,'' said Richards coach Tony Sheehan.

Defensive back Danny Johnson set up the game's first score with a 59-yard interception return to Harlan's 13-yard line late in the first quarter. Quarterback Tommy Makuch scored on the next play.

In the second quarter, a bad punt snap gave Richards the ball on Harlan's one-yard line and Lacy Baxter scored from there. Julian Venerable added a five-yard touchdown run late in the game.

"It was ugly, but it's a win,'' Sheehan said. "I thought our defense played really well. They bailed us out today.''

Linemen Isaiah Jenkins, Marcus Smith, Dylan Rose and Jason Smart and linebackers Dylan Demma, Kamal Kamorudeen, Jeffery Shepard and Dave Onate did most of the work.

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