ONEIDA | The game was less than 30 seconds old when Parker Burke stepped in front of a Harriman pass and housed it.
The freshman’s 27-yard pick-six set the tone for Oneida’s dominating win over Harriman in the home opener, as the Indians jumped out to a 24-0 first quarter lead and cruised to a 45-14 win over the Blue Devils.
Harriman (0-2) was able to move the ball at times in the first half, but was bitten by self-inflicted wounds, especially penalties.
Meanwhile, Oneida (2-0) used a flurry of offense late in the first quarter to put the game away.
A 25-yard Miles Laxton field goal gave the Indians a 10-0 advantage, followed by a one-play scoring drive that saw Gage Duncan break free for 43 yards and a touchdown. Finally, Cole Meredith scored on a four-yard touchdown plunge, and it was 24-0 before the first quarter had ended.
The second quarter saw things slow down somewhat, but Oneida put another score on the board when Connor Mays hit William Hill on a 17-yard fade route to make it 31-0.
Harriman was finally able to get something going before the half ended, scoring on a short run by Kyron Carr.
But the Blue Devils would get no closer, and Oneida tacked two more scores on the board in the second half. Kason Hutcherson scored on a 35-yard run, and Meredith scored his second touchdown from a yard out to give the Indians a 45-7 lead.
Harriman scored late when Dylan Hansen broke free for an 81-yard run.
The stat sheet told a story of a game that was closer than the scoreboard indicated. Oneida finished with a healthy 318 yards of offense, but surrendered 289 yards to the Blue Devils. First downs were nearly as even, 15 to 12. But the Indian defense forced three turnovers, and Oneida dominated on special teams to give itself an advantage.
In addition to Burke’s interception, Kannon Gazay also had an interception, and Kaden Keeton recovered a fumble.
Tate Shepard had 12 tackles to lead Oneida’s defense.
Offensively, Duncan continued to impress as a newcomer in the backfield. He finished with 134 yards on just 10 carries and was named the IH Sports Network’s First National Bank Player of the Game.
Mays completed seven of 12 passes for 93 yards. William Hill was his favorite receiver, with four receptions, including the touchdown.
Hansen had 97 yards rushing and 94 yards receiving to lead Harriman’s offense.
Next up for Oneida will be a trip to Bledsoe County to start region play.
