WARREN - The prospects for the Warren G. Harding Raiders' football time improved quite a bit Tuesday with the enrollment of receiver Dayne Hammond. Hammond, 6-foot-6 and 195 pounds, transferred from Boardman to Harding. Considered among the elite recruits in Ohio, Hammond shouldn't have trouble getting playing time for the Raiders. "I hear it will be good for us," Harding coach Rick Rios said. "I haven't seen him in action, so I have no idea (what to expect). We have a pretty good group of receivers as it is, so it will be interesting to see where he fits." Rios is pleased with what he's seen of the receivers already in camp. Players working with the first-team offense are Jalyn Powell, MikQuan Dorsey and Orlando Ervin. "I don't have much to say," Boardman coach Mark D'Eramo said. "I really do not know what happened. I have 55 other kids to coach. We have to move on and get ready for that first game." Rios still has plenty of time to fit Hammond into the offense. The Raiders will scrimmage Solon Saturday and finish with a scrimmage against Lakewood St. Edward Friday, Aug. 19. Harding opens the season Friday, Aug. 26 at home against Austintown Fitch. Rios is entering his first season as coach of the Raiders after spending 11 seasons at Toledo Rogers High School. Harding is coming off an 8-2 season in which they advanced to the Division I playoffs, losing to Cleveland Glenville in the first round. Landing the services of Hammond should be a welcome addition so close to the start of the season. "For us, from a coaching standpoint, it will be good to see him in action," Rios said. "He's obviously well respected in this area. Other than that I don't know a whole lot about him." mmclain@tribtoday.com
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