Harvard Starts Quickly in 24-20 Win

Harvard High built a 17-point first-quarter lead, then held off Blair to post a 24-20 win in a nonleague opener Friday night at Harvard. The victory avenged last year’s 10-8 loss to Blair.

Kent Dahn rushed for 112 yards in 14 carries and Jeremiah Aguolu added 69 yards in 12 carries for the Saracens.

Harvard took a 7-0 lead when quarterback Steve Kezirian connected with Iheanyi Uwaezuoke on a 51-yard pass in the first quarter. Dahn then scored on a five-yard run and Max Sank, who converted all three extra-point attempts, added a 23-yard field goal for a 17-0 lead. Aguolu closed Harvard’s scoring with a 12-yard run with 1 minute 12 seconds left in the first half for a 24-7 halftime lead.

“I was kind of nervous because we were so bad last year,” Dahn said of the Saracens, who were 2-9 last season. “But this season we’re a lot more united.”

Blair quarterback Jerome Blackwood completed 17 of 40 passes for 195 yards and two touchdowns and threw two interceptions. He connected with Charles Carr for touchdowns of 24 and 30 yards. Fernandos Johnson added a five-yard score for Blair.

Harvard quarterbacks Kezirian and Greg Peters threw sparingly. Kezirian, who played the first and fourth quarters, completed three of five for 94 yards and one touchdown. He threw one interception. Peters connected on two of three for five yards.