BIG RED FOOTBALL 2K11

Steubenville Big Red 22

Youngstown Mooney Cardinals 24

November 11th, 2011

Canton's Fawcett Stadium

On a day that comes around once every 100 years, Steubenville Big Red and Youngstown Cardinal Mooney locked horns in a high school football game worthy of the occasion.

When it was all said done on 11-11-11, Mooney escaped with a 24-22 victory thanks to a Connor Durina 30-yard field goal with just five seconds remaining on the Fawcett Stadium clock.

The victory moves the 8-3 Cardinals into next week's Region 11 championship game against Dover. Big Red drops the curtain at 11-1.

Durina's kick finished a fourth quarter that the fans in attendance Friday won't soon forget.

 

Big Red entered the final 12 minutes clinging to a 16-7 lead. Roosevelt Griffin cut into that advantage when he sprinted 49 yards for a touchdown. Griffin would fumble on the next Cardinal possession, but the Cardinals recovered from that miscue a few plays later when Marcus McWilson picked off a Marcus Prather pass. His return gave Mooney a first and goal at the Steubenville 3.

Griffin plunged over for a yard away and Durina added the extra point to give P.J. Flecko's club a 21-16 advantage with 4:37 left.

Reno Saccoccia's club, however, wasn't through. With Prather hitting four of six passing attempts, the Big Red moved 78 yards to retake the lead. The drive culminated when Evan Westlake made an outstanding grab in the back of the end zone. Luke Smith's kick put Steubenville up 22-21 and set the stage for the controversial finish.

After a P.J. Quinn pass fell incomplete, Big Red was nailed with a 15-yard penalty for alleged helmet-to-helmet contact. Mooney later converted on a fourth and 7, setting up a first down at the Steubenville 20. Griffin was hit for a loss and appeared to the lose the football. However, he was ruled down by contact.

The officials flagged Big Red for another 15 yards, this time for a personal foul. Apparently, the flag was not dropped for anything actually done in the course of action. Instead, Big Red was penalized for holding onto the football following the somewhat puzzling no fumble call. Mooney's game-winning field goal came three plays after that call.

"I want to congratulate them on their last drive," Saccoccia said. "I'd like to congratulate our players on a great game and a great year. I thought we had the fumble and I'm not sure what happened on the personal foul."

Mooney scored on its initial possession, marching 72 yards in eight plays. The touchdown came on a 24-yard pass from Quinn to Farragher.

Big Red knotted things at seven early in the second period when Prather found Westlake from 30 yards away. The scoring toss came as Prather rolled to his right and threw back to his left.

Steubenville got its first lead of the evening just before the half as Jo Jo Pierro bulled in from a yard out. His run capped an 88-yard drive, 80 of the stripes coming via the air. Prather hit on four straight finding Pierro, Matt Petrella, Pierro again and LeShawn Luke.

The only score of the third period (a Big Red safety) came when Manard Reed tackled Quinn in the end zone. A great punt by Smith pinned Mooney back at its one-yard line.

"It was one of those games where momentum kept swinging back and forth," Fecko said. "We ran into field position issues in the third quarter but we were able to flip field position in the fourth quarter. When you look at the penalties, we gave them some big yardage; it was nice to get some yards back during the last drive."

For the night, Mooney was flagged 10 times for 70 yards and Big Red drew 11 for 85.

"Offensively, we couldn't move the ball on the ground, so we got everything in the air," Saccoccia added. "We had to run the ball enough to keep them honest."

Big Red finished with just 34 rushing yards on 27 trips. Through the air, Prather hit on 19 of 32 for 285 and two touchdowns.

Mooney had 305 total yards (204 on the ground and 101 via the pass). Griffin ended with 150 yards and a pair of scores.

"Our kids came up with a beautiful drive at the end of the game," Saccoccia said. "We played great defense the whole game. It was just one of those things."

Big Red forced Mooney into three turnovers - an interception by TeShawn Luke after a huge hit by Najee Murray and fumble recoveries by William Houst and L. Luke.

"I have been the head coach here for 29 years and I have been involved in some great games," Saccoccia continued. "I'll never forget this team because of the way they left two-a-days as a very average team. They ended the season as real men with intestinal fortitude, dedication and a love of the game. I am never going to forget these seniors.

"They did a great job. I want to congratulate them, congratulate the coaches. I think I have the best coaches in the state. Our seniors stepped up all year, they led us all year. They gave a great senior effort tonight and we gave a great team effort. It was just a tough loss."

 

	Big Red	Mooney
Rushing	27/34 yards	43/204 yards
Passing	19/32 285 yards	6/14 101 yards
First Downs	14	14
Penalties	11/85 yards	10/70 yards
Punts	7/33	4/34
Fumbles	0-0	3-2
Interceptions	1	2
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 68

Indian Creek Redskins 13

November 4th, 2011

Death Valley

68.

646.

28.

Those were the gaudy numbers that the Steubenville Big Red offense put up in it's Ohio Division III, Region 11 Quarter-final victory over Indian Creek Friday night at Death Valley. Big Red amassed 68 points, which is the 3rd most points in school history, 646 yards of offense, a playoff high, and 28 first downs.

Things started out interesting in this clash of cross-town rivals. Steubenville won the toss, but deferred to the second half. Indian Creek returned the ball out to the 24 to set up shop. IC came out in a no-huddle spread set, looking to duplicate what Dover accomplished last year on the Reno Field turf. QB David Kemp found Blake Roar for a 16 yard gain. His next pass went to David Kemp for another 11 yards. A penalty would move the ball to the Big Red 23, where Mark Ludewig would get loose for 12 yards. Then a fade pass to Furda would give IC, after the PAT, a quick 7-0 lead.

Creek's Fabio Mattina put the ball into play down to Big Red's 19, but the return was bobbled and the Red's drive started at the 13. Najee Murray was hit for a loss of 5 on a jet sweep, before Jo Jo Pierro got it back on 2nd down. Marcus Prather went to the air for tight end Eric Robinson, but he was held short of the first down, which brought in Luke Smith for the punt.

The Big Red GATA Defense then got serious and adjusted to the Creek's game-plan. 3 downs generated only 1 yard and IC was forced to punt. A great roll pinned the Red back at its own 3 yard line. Pierro got loose for 34 yards on 1st down, but a holding call brought it back to the 7. Prather found William Houst in the flat for a gain of 16 and a first down. A series of short runs then left Big Red with a 4th and 4, where Houst once again delivered as he bullied his way for the first down out of punt formation. Dashon Redman scampered for 16 yards and Pierro added 14 to push the pigskin deep into Creek territory. LeShawn Luke did the honors from a yard out to get Steubenville on the board. Luke Smith's PAT knotted the contest at 7.

The kickoff placement was aided by a personal foul in IC during the TD run, so Smith set up his tee at the IC 45. The onside kick was recovered by Big Red, which gave them the ball at the IC 33. Pierro burst loose for 18 yards, and then he took it in from 15 yards out, and Big Red led, after Smith's conversion, 14-7 as the quarter was winding down.

The Creek would drive the ball out from it's own 9 on the following possession, with a 28 yard pass to Alex Young and a personal foul penalty. The drive would stall however after Kemp was sacked for an 18 yard loss. The ensuing punt set Big Red up at their own 42. Pierro had runs of 6, 5, and 20 yards to move into IC territory, and then Prather found Robinson in the endzone for a 27 yard score. Smith added another PAT and it was 21-7 Big Red early in the 2nd quarter.

The Redskins would not fold their tee pee's though, as they started their next series at the 33. Kemp would go to the sky once again finding Roar for 13 yards, Young for 11, Justin Cummings for 24 , and Roar for 3 yards. That moved the ball to the S.H.S. 2 yard line, where Ludewig dove in from there. The XP failed and it was a 21-13 ballgame.

Big Red wasted no time in responding as it took on play-a 52 yard bomb to a streaking Najee Murray, and it was back to a two TD game.

The Redskins next drive was ended quickly as cornerback Matt Petrella picked off Kemp, after Kemp had hooked up with Young to move the ball to midfield on their first play.

Prather then went to work in the 2 minute drill, finding Murray for 16, and Pierro for 11. Then Pierro busted loose for a 31 yard TD, but was nullified due to an illegal block. Prather then hit Luke for a 21 yard TD catch and run. PAT was true, and Big Red led 35-13 going into half.

The second half started with a bang, as Prather found Pierro on a screen pass on 3rd down from the Big Red 16. The senior tailback snagged in the pass and sprinted down the left sideline for an 84 yard touchdown that effectively ended the game. Smith added the XP and it was 42-13.

The Redskins would then go 3 and out, accumulation -6 yards on the drive. Big Red went right back to work from the IC 42. Pierro added 9 yards, Luke 12, and then Pierro finished off from 19 yards out. Smith added his 7th PAT of the game and it was 49-13.

Creek then had another 3 and out, this time punting to the Big Red 45. Luke did the majority of the damage this time as he had runs of 11, 11, and 29 yards to give the Defenders of the Crimson & the Black a 56-13 lead.

Indian Creek, clearly beaten, then accounted for 7 yards on their next possession, and another punt landed in the hands of Cody Saltsman at the Big Red 47.

Chez Glenn then came in at tailback and he carried 3 straight times for 28 yards. Randy Otis did the honors on a 23 yards touchdown run, which pushed the lead to 62-13. Big Red took a knee on the conversion.

IC's next drive amounted to a -7 yards of offense, which gave the Red the ball back at the Steubenville 42. Cory Stinson got loose for 10 yards, and then Jerrick Shackleford added 12. Stinson then found Saltsman for a gain of 15 yards, and then Saltsman ran for 9 more. Glenn took it the rest of the way from 12 yards out and it was 68-13 with 8:14 left in the game.

Big Red would threaten again with 4:47 to go, but took a knee 4 straight times on the IC 10 yard line.

With the victory Big Red now moves on to face old nemesis Youngstown Cardinal Mooney friday night in Canton's Fawcett Stadium.

	Big Red	Creek
Rushing	46/386 yards	33/70 yards
Passing	12/18 260 yards	15/30 189 yards
First Downs	28	13
Penalties	9/92 yards	5/40 yards
Punts	1/31	6/31
Fumbles	2-1	1-0
Interceptions	1	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 39

Cardinal O'Hara Hawks 0

October 28th, 2011

Death Valley

The 2011 edition of the Steubenville High School Big Red added their piece to the tradition as they became the newest member of The Undefeated club with a 39-0 pasting of Cardinal O'Hara of Tonawanda New York. The victory not only secured win #10, but also wrapped up the #1 seed in Region 11, which comes a home playoff game, and added the Associated Press poll title to the school's hardware display case.

The game was played under cloudy skies on a cold October night. The Seniors were honored before the kickoff, as each one was introduced indivdually and thanked by the coaches, fellow players, and fans for their hard work and contribution to the program. The Hawks won the toss and elected to receive the pigskin.

O'Hara started their first drive at the Big Red 23 and immediately went to their big back Kyree Carter who carried 3 straight times for a first down. Carter then picked up another first down before the Big Red defense dug in and forced a punt.

A nice punt pinned the Red back at their own 12, but Senior tailback Jo Jo Pierro quickly changed that as his first carry went for 44 yards. A series of passes after that resulted in Big Red turning the ball over on downs at the O'Hara 40. The Hawks this time were held to a quick 3 and out on a 4 yard drive. Another punt landed in the hands of Junior Evan Westlake, as he weaved and fought his way for an 18 yard return.

Pierro then had another big run of 41 yards to the Hawk 11, before Senior LeShawn Luke finished it off with the TD run. Junior Luke "Janikowski" Smith poked through the XP and it was a 7-0 advantage.

The following kickoff went deep and was received by Hawk QB Anthony DiFrancesco, as he returned it out to the 46. O'Hara couldn't make hay on the fine return though, as they went for -8 yards on the 3 play drive. Senior William Houst and Junior Dashon Redman combined for a sack on the drive.

The 2nd quarter began with Big Red taking the ball at the O'Hara 43 after another nice return by Westlake of 36 yards. S.H.S. went right to work as Senior QB Marcus Prather found Senior wideout Najee Murray for a 43 yard TD strike. Smith's PAT made it a 14-0 advantage.

O'Hara once again couldn't get anything going against the GATA Defense. 5 plays resulted in 9 total yards. A DiFrancesco punt gave the Red the oval at the 26 yard marker.

Big Red then went for the dagger, as Prather hit Pierro for a 20 yard gain. Junior tightend Eric Robinson then caught one for 9 yards, which was sandwiched around a couple of Luke runs. Prather targeted Junior Matt Petrella for a gain of 13, which put the ball at the O'Hara 12. 7 Yard Luke then took it in from the 7 as the lead mushroomed. The XP made it 21-0 at the half.

Big Red was in mass substitution mode in the second half as Junior QB Cory Stinson came in and directed a drive down the tundra. Highlights of the drive were completions to William Houst of 23 yards, and to Junior Mark Cole of 21 yards. Stinson then hit Senior Kelvin Grissom for the score. Big Red took a knee on the conversion and it stood at 27-0.

The next Big Red touchdown came on the legs of Sophomore tailback Chez Glenn as he slashed across the goal line from 2 yards out. Another knee kept the score down at 33-0.

The Red's final scoring drive was set up by Sophomore Cody Saltsman's 21 yard punt return. From there it was a mix of Cole and Glenn, before Freshman QB Trent Mays did the honors from a yard out.

Big Red now will concentrate on the second season, as an old opponent slipped into the 8th spot in Region 11...the Indian Creek Redskins. There will be a packed house as the 2011 playoff march begins.

	Big Red	O'Hara
Rushing	/ yards	/ yards
Passing	/ yards	/ yards
First Downs	-	-
Penalties	/ yards	/ yards
Punts	/	/
Fumbles	-	-
Interceptions	0	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 24

Massillon Washington Tigers 7

October 21st, 2011

Death Valley

The pent up frustration of leaving Paul Brown Tiger Stadium last year with a loss was unleashed in Death Valley a little over a year later on those Tigers from Massillon Ohio. Sporting their brand new Nike Pro Combat uniforms, the Big Red battered and bruised Washington High in every way possible. A punishing Fast & Furious Defense limited the guests to a paltry 10 yards rushing and 6 first downs. Meanwhile the Big Red offense, led by the Oline of Joey Nation, Simon Saxon, Mike Camilletti, Charlie Keenan, Devon Wicker, Luke McCort, and Ryan Wood, opened up holes for the stable of Big Red backs to rush for 183 yards on the night. Senior QB Marcus Prather, had a steller effort in hitting on 11 of 20 for 191 yards and a TD.

As Don Osby, Big Red star of the early 70's, acted as honorary captain, the coin toss was conducted, which Big Red won and deferred. This set up Massillon to receive and the Red defending the West endzone. Junior Luke "Janikowski" Smith got the game started right with a touchback. The Tigers went to work through the air and completed two passes for first down yardage before Senior defensive end William Houst set the tone of the game. On 2nd and 2 from the 40 Houst blew past the offensive tackle, wrapped up QB Kyle Kempt as he was attempting a handoff, and wrestled the ball away, giving Big Red prime field position, and momentum, at the Tiger 31.

From there the offense went to work. Senior work horse Jo Jo Pierro ran for 6, 2, and another 6, to get it into the Red Zone. Prather then found Senior Najee Murray on a post pattern for a 15 yard score. Smith's PAT was true and Big Red had an early lead.

GATA then kept the pressure coming as Houst sacked Kempt on a 3rd and 5 for a 14 yard loss, setting up a Massillon punt.

Prather came out looking long on 1st down from the Big Red 31, and he found his main man, Murray, again behind the corner, this time making a tight-rope catch down the left sideline...good for 33 yards. The ground game would begin to chew up chunks of yardage as Pierro and fellow Senior tailback LeShawn Luke moved the ball down to the Tiger 12, where it looked like Big Red would break the game open early, but a fumble in the backfield gave the Tigers new life.

Three plays netted only 3 yards though as Brody Tonn came into punt. The kick traveled 35 yards to the Massillon 49, and The Red was back in business as the first quarter was coming to a close.

Prather found open receivers on this drive, but an unlikely drop and a holding penalty brought the ball back before Prather hooked up with Murray again for 29 yards and a first down to the Tiger 17. The Tiger D held though as they forced a 4th and 3, which brought on Smith for the field goal attempt. The kick was dead center and Big Red had a 10-0 lead.

The Big Red defense, playing superb, forced another 3 and out after giving up only 6 yards. Tonn's punt gave Steubenville the ball at midfield.

On 3rd and 6 Prather found Junior wide receiver Matt Petrella for what appeared to be a first down, but the ref's ruled that the ball came out right before he hit the ground and awarded Massillon the ball.

Once again the F&F D rose to the occasion, and after allowing one first down by the Stark Countains, slammed the door shut and forced another Tonn punt.

Big Red then got conservative as the half was coming to a close. Three straight runs produced 7 yards and Smith was called on to punt from his own 19. The kick went off the side of his foot however, and Massillon was in business at the 30 with 2 minutes to go till half. Kempt then found Trey Hendricks for 18 yards, and then hooked up with Monte Harrison, who made a great adjustment on a poorly thrown ball, in the northeast endzone corner for the TD. Andrew David poked through the PAT and suddenly it was a 10-7 ballgame.

Big Red got the ball back with a minute thirty two left and went to the hurry up. Big Red marched from its own 29 to the Massillon 29 in under a minute with the aid of a Pierro run of 25 yards, and a completion to Junior Evan Westlake for 20 yards. The drive stalled though and Massillon ran out the first half clock.

The Massillon Tiger Swing Band entertained the Death Valley crowd as they performed their traditional half time show of Tiger Rag, and then put on a tribute to Broadway show. The Best Band In Buckeye Land followed them with a rendition of Thriller, which brought the home crowd to its feet.

The second half began with 420 N. 4th receiving the kickoff. A short kick would set up Big Red at the 32. Prather would complete two passes for first downs until the drive would come to a halt at the Massillon 39. Prather then punted from shotgun which gave the Tigers the ball at their 13.

Massillon would attempt to get their running game on track, but 3 straight Ryan Moore runs would only produce 5 yards, and once again punting time.

The defenses of both teams started to exert their will in the 3rd as a series of 3 and outs for both teams began. The 3rd quarter ended with Big Red holding on to a slim 10-7 lead.

As the 4th quarter began Big Red began to pound the ball at the Tiger defense with Pierro and Luke. They marched the ball into Massillon territory where the next huge play of the game occured. On 2nd and 9 Big Red went to the Wild Stallion formation, as Luke handed the ball off to Murray. Murray was trapped in the backfield, but made a couple of brilliant moves, picked up some key blocks, and sprinted down the visitor sideline. He was dragged out at the 5, but Big Red was in position to take control of the game. Pierro bulled over from 2 yards out, and Smith added the PAT for a 17-7 lead.

On the ensuing kickoff, Smith kicked the ball into the ground, where Luke jumped up and snagged it, giving the Red great field postion at the Massillon 47. Wasting no time, Prather went for the dagger as he found Senior tight end Pat Blair behind the defense for 30 yards. Pierro took it from there as he smashed in for another Big Red touchdown 6 plays later. The XP made it a 24-7 game.

Another hard kick was recovered by the Tigers, which gave them the ball at midfield. Kempt directed the Tigers down the field, but Luke would extinguish any hopes for a miracle as he picked off Kempt at the 15. Big Red then went into the victory formation and advanced to 9-0.

The Red will look to close out the 7th perfect season in the last 9 years on Friday night, as Senior Night will feature the Cardinal O'Hara Hawks.

	Big Red	Massillon
Rushing	49/183 yards	19/10 yards
Passing	11/20 191 yards	12/22 97 yards
First Downs	15	6
Penalties	6/50 yards	3/17 yards
Punts	4/27	7/34
Fumbles	2-2	1-1
Interceptions	1	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 49

Buffalo St. Joseph Marauders 26

October 14th, 2011

Death Valley

A highly anticipated matchup with the Buffalo St. Joseph Collegiate Institute Maruaders and their 5 star quarterback Chad Kelly gave a buzz to the air of Death Valley on a night with some spinkles in the sky. Kelly, a Clemson commit, didn't disappoint, as he put on quite the show for the Steubenville faithful. In the end though it was the Big Red defense, and too much SHS offense, that overcame a gutsy performance by Kelly.

St. Joes received, and Kelly went right to work from the 20, as his arm and feet moved the ball out to midfield. On 3rd and 5 however, the Big Red defense rose to the challenge and forced a Kelly punt. Big Red, starting from its own 29, methodically drove the field. Big plays on the drive included a senior quarterback Marcus Prather to junior receiver Matt Petrella 28 yard hookup, and a junior fullback Dashon Redman jaunt of 32 yards. Capping it off was senior tailback Jo Jo Pierro's 2 yard plunge to paydirt. Luke "Janikowski" Smith made it a 7-0 early advantage for the hometown boys.

The Maruaders responded quickly though, as Kelly's bullet to Ilo Noble for 37 yards brought the ball into Big Red territory. Kelly then did it with his legs as he ran 17 yards for St. Joes first touchdown of the contest. The XP was missed, and the Red held a 7-6 lead.

Steubenville's next drive would start deep in the hole at the 8 yard line. Pierro would get the Red out of it though, as he broke loose around the right side for a 24 yard gain. Prather would then go to the air and look for junior tightend Eric Robinson, as he hauled it in for 32 yards. Another pass to Pierro would cover 26 stripes, and the Red was back in business. Senior tailback LeShawn Luke would do the honors from 6 yards out for another touchdown. A two point conversion by Pierro upped the tally to 15-6.

With time winding down in the first quarter the Marauders would get back in the game. Kelly would hit on passes of 13 and 25 yards, before sneaking in himself from 1 yard out. The two point conversion was good, and it was a 14-15 ballgame.

Big Red's next drive was thwarted by a fumble in the backfield, and St. Joes had gained the momentum. The defense came up with one of the huge plays of the contest as Pierro, playing his safety spot, made a diving interception, ripping the ball from the receiver's hands on the way down.

At the 23, Big Red would gallop down the gridiron. A beautiful mix of plays featured almost every skill player in the Big Red stable touching the ball, culminating with a pass to senior receiver Najee Murray which brought the Death Valley crowd to its feet. The conversion was true and Big Red led 22-14 with 3 minutes to go in the half.

That was plenty of time for Kelly though, as he ran 14 yards for a first down. Then he used short passes to get the Marauders into scoring position. Kelly's pass to Nigal Davis from 10 yards out with 22 seconds pulled the visitors closer. The 2 point conversion failed, and Big Red held a slim 22-20 lead at halftime.

Big Red received the second half kickoff and wasted no time in adding to the lead. Passes to Luke and Pierro picked up a combined 50 yards, which moved it to the Marauder 32. Luke and Pierro then took turns rushing the ball, as Pierro capped it off from 4 yards out. Smith added the PAT and it was a 29-20 advantage.

The Big Red GATA D then made another stand as they bent a little but buckled down at the Big Red 43. Junior Evan Westlake added a nice punt return for 11 yards out to the 18. From there it was the Jo Jo Pierro show as he took a screen pass, after a 5 yard penalty, and cut and weaved his way down field Picking up outstanding blocking, which included some punishing hits from Murray and others, Pierro scampered his way for an 85 yard touchdown that pretty much sealed the game as the crowd roared. Smith added another XP and it was a 36-20 lead.

Pierro would come up big again on the following drive, this time in his safety spot, as he picked off Kelly at the Big Red 34. The Red used just 4 plays to strike gold again, as Murray made a highlight reel diving catch in the middle of the endzone from 25 yards out for the score. XP good, and it was 43-20

.

Kelly, who was starting to feel the effects of the Fast & Furious Defense, would try to guide his squad down the field. A pass to Yanni Eulia went for 13 yards, then another strike to Nigel Davis picked up 15. The drive would stall at the Steubenville 16 however, as the defense held on downs.

From the 16 Big Red used just 4 rushes to reach the "Houst", as Luke picked up 19, and sophomore tailback Chez Glenn slashed for 39 and 17, before senior fullback William Houst took it over for 6. Big Red took a knee on the XP, and the lead swelled to 49-20.

Kelly and Company would add one more touchdown vs the Big Red reserves with 2 minutes to go, which accounted for the final score.

Big Red now sets its sights on a long anticipated matchup with the 7-1 Massillon Washington Tigers. The sting of last years game is still a vivid memory....one which the Red would like to wipe the taste out of their mouths.

	Big Red	St. Joes
Rushing	40/295 yards	20/82 yards
Passing	12/17 293 yards	32/54 322 yards
First Downs	25	24
Penalties	7/73 yards	7/62 yards
Punts	0/0	2/27
Fumbles	1-1	0-0
Interceptions	2	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 35

Baltimore Mt. St. Joseph Gaels 20

October 7th, 2011

Death Valley

A gorgeous night for football welcomed back an old foe in the form of the Baltimore Mount Saint Joseph Gaels. MoJo would come into this contest sporting a 2-2 record vs. a rugged schedule made up of private schools around the Maryland area. The four captains, in purple helmets, white jerseys, and purple pants, would meet the Big Red captains of LeShawn Luke, Najee Murray, Michael Constantini, and Jo Jo Pierro at the midfield stripe. MoJo would win the toss and defer, setting up the Red to return the pigskin.

Big Red would start its initial drive at its own 10 yard line and would quickly go to work. Pierro would pick up a first down out to the 23, and then senior QB Marcus Prather's 5 consectutive passes would take it all the way down to the MoJo 20 yard line. A few Pierro rushes later, and Prather would go back to the sky, finding junior tight end Eric Robinson in the back corner of the endzone for the first TD of the night. Luke Smith put it through the uprights and Steubenville had a 7-0 lead.

The Gaels looked to answer, but found the sledding tough vs the F&F Defense. A 6 play drive only netted 23 yards and brought out the punting team. A booming kick rolled into the endzone and the Red took over at the 20. MoJo got the break they needed though as on the second play Big Red fumbled the exchange and the visitors had the ball at the host's 20 yard line. It didn't take long for them to take advantage as QB Bryan Jangro found Ang DeShields for a 21 yard touchdown pass. Mike Grasso added the PAT and the game was knotted up with just over a minute to go in the 1st quarter.

Big Red's next drive started at the 23, and got going with two quick completions to senior wideout Kelvin Grissom. The drive stalled however, which led to a Luke Smith punt. The Gaels would go nowhere on their next drive as 3 plays led to zero yards. Big Red got the ball back after the punt at their own 27 yard line. Short runs and passes moved the ball down the field to the MoJo 12 yard line, but once again an exchange in the backfield was mishandled and the Gaels dodged a bullet picking up the oval at their 15 yard line.

Big Red's defense then stepped up and made the play of the game as senior Defensive End William Houst intercepted a Jangro pass with one hand and waltzed into the endzone from 12 yards out. The PAT made it a 14-7 game.

The Gaels would then go back to Jangro's arm as they tried to respond after getting great field positon. MoJo would advance down to the Big Red 24 where on 4th and 8 Jangro was sacked for an 8 yard loss. Big Red could not move the ball though, and the half came to a close.

The Homecoming court took center stage, as Maci Mettenberger, Hannah Meyer, Cierra Panyi, Kiara Moio, and Mikala Saltsman looked for the odd colored rose. The Queen for 2011 was Kiara Moio.

The second half began with a deep Luke Smith kickoff, which was returned out to the 20 yard line. The Gaels came out firing as Jangro would complete short passes out to the 48 where the drive stalled. A nice punt pinned Big Red back at the 20 for the host's first possession of the half.

The Red used the ground game to soften up the MoJo defense, then went to the air as Prather found a streaking Najee Murray for a 41 yard gain. That helped set up a second touchdown hook up for Prather and Robinson, which upped the count to 21-7.....good guys.

MoJo would waste no time in responding, as they began the drive at their own 27 and marched down the field. Jangro was knocked out of the game by the punishing Big Red GATA Defense, but backup Luke Casey came in and didn't miss a beat. His big completion came by hitting Marcus Alston for 52 yards, which moved the ball to the Big Red 3 yard line. Casey then did the honors himself with a QB sneak. The PAT was true and it was suddenly a one score game.

Big Red then got fine field position as sophomore Chez Glenn returned the kick 20 yards to the 33. Junior Dashon Redman then surged for 10 yards and a first down. That was followed up by a Redman reception and Big Red was in business at the MoJo 31. The drive got bogged down though, and a Luke Smith field goal attempt was wide left.

Casey then went back to work as he rushed and completed passes to the Big Red 47. From there he hooked up with DeShields on a 47 yard bomb which brought the invaders to within one. The tying PAT however was hooked, and Big Red held a slim one point 4th quarter lead.

The Big Red Oline then took control. After starting at the 25, the Big Red stable of Pierro, Luke, and Redman would march down the field, Pierro taking it the final 25 yards for the score. Smith's XP made it a 28-20 ballgame.

Casey would try to lead the Gaels back, but after 3 complete passes that brought the ball out to the 40, he was put out of the game on a vicious hit by TeShawn Luke. MoJo would then turn to big tightend Marcus Alston for some QB help, but the hosts were rude to him also, as Redman welcomed him with a big hit, forcing a fumble, which was scooped up by junior Defensive Tackle Maynard Reed, and he brought it back 30 yards for the touchdown. PAT was good, and it was quickly a 35-20 lead.

Big Red would then get the free ball on the kickoff and run out the clock.

The Red returns to action next Friday night hosting the Buffalo St. Joes Marauders. St. Joes will be another formidable foe as they check in on a 5 game winning streak (5-1).

	Big Red	MoJo
Rushing	36/153 yards	18/9 yards
Passing	17/23 177 yards	24/31 241 yards
First Downs	23	13
Penalties	4/46 yards	7/55 yards
Punts	2/30	3/40
Fumbles	1-1	2-2
Interceptions	1	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 41

East Liverpool Potters 0

September 30th, 2011

Death Valley

On a rain-swept dreary day, with temperatures hovering in the 40's, the 48th edition of the 22 Mile War was staged at Steubenville's famed Death Valley on Reno Field. This years contest was a contrast in every sense as Big Red entered at 5-0 and the top rated team in AP's Division III, and as the top rated team in Division III, Region 11. The Potters on the other hand were at 0-5 and last in the Region 11 standing, while suffering some key injuries along the way.

The Potters won the toss and deferred, and were kicking off to the East endzone. The kick went to standout senior Najee Murray, which was a bad move, as the Ohio State recruit headed up field, cut to the outside, raced down the sideline, picked up some key blocks, then cut back to the middle of the field and strided into the endzone. After a few seconds of play, and a Luke "Janikowski" Smith PAT, it was 7-0 Big Red.

Smith then booted the pigskin down to the 5 where EL's Zach English returned it out to the 24. The Big Red defense would tee off and shatter the Potter's hopes as they garnished -3 yards in 3 attempts. A Kyle Mackey punt traversed for 41 yards and the Big Red O was on the clock. They weren't slacking as they went right to work with senior tailback Jo Jo Pierro pounding the rock for 21 yards. Jo Jo was a Go Go once again on a 12 yard gain. Then senior stable-mate LeShawn "7 Yard" Luke broke loose for 10 yards and another first down. Junior QB Cory Stintson then did the honors on a nice fake, then some shifty moves which put the pigskin across the goal line for another Big Red tally. Smith was true on the point after and the lead grew to 14.

The Big Red Fast & Furious Defense made life difficult for the outmanned Potters, as a jarring hit by senior defensive end William Houst put the oval on the ground and was scooped up by bookend senior Davon Wicker.

Big Red would use two plays to extend the lead as senior QB Marcus Prather found junior wideout Matt Petrella for a TD in the back southwest corner of the endzone. Smith again nailed the PAT and it was 21 to zip with 7:24 still showing on the 1st quarter clock.

Mass substitutions began for the Big Red as Smith kicked the ball down to the 26. East Liverpool would notch its initial first down of the contest, but that would be shortlived as senior cornerback Quinton Smith picked off East Liverpool at the midfield stripe.

LeShawn Luke would get the first big play of this drive as he busted his way for 18 yards. Following that was Pierro with a nifty 11 yard jaunt. Stinson then went back to pass and found senior wideout Kelvin Grissom alone in the endzone for a 21 yard strike. Smith made another, and it was 28-0 Steubenville High with 3 minutes to play in the opening quarter.

The Potters would then get the ball and advance into Big Red territory with the help of some penalties, but the D would stiffin as Marky Mark Cole would come up with a fumble recovery and return it out near midfield.

The Red would go back to work as senior running back Randy Otis toted the mail for 17 yards. Junior Dashon Redman then would bully his way for 13 yards, and then Stinson would find junior wideout Evan Westlake for a gain to the 12. Shifty sophomore tailback Chez Glenn would then do the honors as he took it to the house. PAT was true, and it was 35-0 at the half.

Both bands would brave the rain and put on fine halftime shows, as The Best Band In Buckeye Land debuted a new show, and East Liverpool's band performed more of a competition sound.

The second half would feature a continuous clock as Smith kicked off to start the 3rd. After 3 plays the Potters only gained 7 yards, so the punting unit was on again.

Big Red's drive would begin at the EL 49 and would be the Chez Glenn and Robert Hayden show as the two combined for almost all of the yards on the touchdrive capped off by Glenn's 2 yard TD burst. Big Red took a knee on the XP and it was a 41-0 ballgame.

The 4th quarter saw a lot of action by everyone that dressed in the red and black, but there was no further scoring on the evening.

Big Red now has to focus on the Baltimore Mount Saint Joseph Gaels as they will enter Death Valley with a 2-2 mark. Big Red and the Gaels have staged some memorable games. Kickoff is 7 pm.

	Big Red	E. Liverpool
Rushing	32/225 yards	27/55 yards
Passing	3/5 41 yards	2/4 21 yards
First Downs	21	4
Penalties	7/56 yards	2/18 yards
Punts	0/0	3/27
Fumbles	1-1	2-2
Interceptions	1	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 22

Youngstown Ursuline 17

September 23rd, 2011

Stambaugh Stadium

A day that started out with rain, and continued heavily into the afternoon gave way to clear skies that made it an ideal night for football in the city of Youngstown, Ohio. Big Red, making its 2nd straight road trip of the year, donned the white jerseys and red pants for the first time since the 2009 state semi final loss to Ursuline's crosstown rival Cardinal Mooney.

The game started out with Ursuline kicking off with a pooch kick, Big Red's junior Evan Westlake showed his awareness by calling for the fair-catch, which set the Red up at the 36. Before the first snap could even take place Big Red was called for a penalty, a theme which would be repeated throughout the night. Never-the-less Steubenville overcame that one and picked up a first down. The series bogged down though around mid-field and the punt was ordered in.

Ursuline came out with running back Jermaine Williams at Quarterback in sort of a wildcat formation; Williams handed off to Jesse Curry on the first play and he broke a tackle, then weaved his way down the home sidelines for a 68 yard gain. The Big Red Defense, unfazed, rose up and stopped the Irish on the next 3 plays. That brought in starting QB Chris Durkin for a 31 yard field goal that put the Irish up 3-0.

Big Red would then answer with a drive that started at their own 29. The big play of the drive was when senior QB Marcus Prather found Westlake for a 17 yard gain and a first down. Senior tailback Jo Jo Pierro would add some tough yards on runs of 28 yards, 11 yards, and then the final 3 yards for the go ahead touchdown. Luke "Janikowski" Smith added the PAT, and it was a 7-3 ballgame.

The GATA D started to flex its muscles as they forced a fumble on a big hit by senior William Houst, and also recovered by him at the Ursuline 20. Big Red couldn't take advantage of the situation however, as the offense stalled and turned the ball over on downs.

Big Red got the ball right back though as the Fast & Furious Defense punished the Ursuline ball carriers. The Red took over at their own 30 and took to the ground, pounding the ball at the heart of the Irish defense. Senior tailback LeShawn Luke keyed the drive with big runs of 11 and 31 yards. Luke would do the honors scoring from a yard out. The XP was a Westlake to Houst 2 point conversion, and the Big Red had a 15-3 lead.

Ursuline wouldn't go away without a fight as they put together a drive right before the half, aided by two personal foul calls. Jesse Curry did most of the damage on the drive, and he took it in from 2 yards out. Durkin's kick made it 15-10 at the half.

The 3rd quarter was an odd one, as Big Red took a page out of Dan Ifft's playbook and attempted an onside kick to start the half, the ball went out of bounds, which gave Ursuline the ball at the UHS 46. Big Red got the ball right back though, as senior defensive tackle Michael Constantini jumped on the loose pigskin at the 42.

Big Red would benefit from a defensive holding call, and a pass interference call to advance the oval down to the Irish 9 yard line for a first and goal status. The drive would go backwards from there as a holding call and a sack moved the ball back to the 33 where Big Red would punt.

Ursuline's next drive would result in zero yards on 3 downs, which brought in Durkin to punt. Senior Najee Murray would produce a nice return of 25 yards to set his team up with great field position. Starting at the 13, this could possibly be the longest 13 yard scoring drive in history, as Big Red overcame 3 penalties, and finally punched it in on 4th down, on the legs of Pierro. Smith added the PAT and the Red had built the lead to 22-10.

Ursuline received the ball and again was aided by a 15 yard penalty, this time taking the ball out to midfield. The Defense held at the 47 as the Red found nice field postion. Ursuline started to stack the box, which forced Big Red to the air, but a few incompletes gave the ball back to the Irish.

Ursuline nickle and dimed their way down the field with the running of Curry and Williams, but were stonewalled at the Big Red 30 with about 5 minutes left in the game.

The Red then tried to put the game away on a nifty pass from Luke to junior receiver Matt Petrella, but it was just a little bit behind the lanky wideout. From there Big Red tried to chew some clock with runs, which set up a Smith punt that went down to the UHS 16.

Ursuline put Durkin back in the game at QB, and he hit Kevin Cylar for a big 30 yard gain on 3rd down. He then hit Williams for a gain of 15, which quickly put the ball into Big Red territory. Another big completetion came from the 22 when Durkin found Tannor Berry for 19 yards. Curry took it in and it was suddenly a one score game. Durkin nailed the PAT and the contest stood at 22-17 with 2:15 to play.

Ursuline only had one timeout, so they opted for the onside kick. The Big Red Hands Team was in perfect position however, and recovered the ball at the 50 yard line. S.H.S then pounded the ball with the fullback, but another penalty brought the ball back from what would have been a game ending first down. Big Red punted away on 4th down, pinning the Irish at their own 3 yard line.

With only 30 seconds left the Big Red defense just let the underneath UHS receivers open which got the ball out to the 18 as time expired.

Big Red now looks to the north once again, as the East Liverpool Potters invade Death Valley for another installment of the 22 Mile War.

	Big Red	Ursuline
Rushing	53/210 yards	40/146 yards
Passing	4/12 27 yards	7/12 77 yards
First Downs	17	16
Penalties	16/135 yards	4/36 yards
Punts	4/40	2/37
Fumbles	0-0	4-2
Interceptions	0	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 40

Brooke Bruins, West Virginia 6

September 16th, 2011

Brooke Memorial Stadium

A swath of cooler weather decended on the Ohio Valley, which made it a perfect night for football along the banks of the mighty Ohio River, as Steubenville loaded up the busses and made the trek across the Veterans Memorial Bridge to battle the Brooke Bruins in Wellsburg West Virginia.

Brooke, the two time defending AAA state runnerup, came into the contest with their backs to the wall, sporting a 1-2 record. They seemed to be getting back on track after a convincing win over University High of Morgantown. Facing the Big Red though, is a daunting task no matter the circumstance.

Big Red, wearing the traditional "grass uniforms", would begin the contest by kicking off towards the south end of the stadium. Luke Smith put his foot into it and Brooke started business at the 9 yard line. The Big Red GATA D would hold firm and force a 3 and out. Brooke punted and junior Evan Westlake fielded the ball and returned it for 17 yards.

The offense would strike very quickly from there, as senior Marcus Prather looked down the left sideline on the first play for junior Matt Petrella. Petrella out jumped the dback and made a beautiful catch by the left pylon for a quick 6-0 Steubenville lead. Smitty tacked on the PAT and the Red were off and running.

Brooke would attempt to answer, while putting together its best drive of the game. After taking over at their 29, they would ride the legs of Tim Faulkner, along with a couple of penalties, and move into Big Red territory at the 27. From there the SHS defense had enough, as they stacked up Faulkner 3 straight times for a loss of 1 yard. On 4th down the Bruins went to the air, but an Alex Buchmelter pass fell incomplete.

Big Red appeared to be on the march once again, but a couple of personal foul penalites eventually snuffed out the drive, forcing the Red to punt from their 40...which rolled into the endzone.

The D once again flexed its muscles as they forced a 3 and out accounting for -3 yards. Big Red took over at midfield, and moved into scoring territory on the legs of seniors Jo Jo Pierro and LeShawn Luke. Once sucked in, Prather went over the top of the defense, finding senior tightend Pat Blair alone in the endzone for TD at the beginning of the 2nd quarter. Luke Smith's PAT was blocked however, so it stood at 13-0.

The next KO went down to the 6, but a nice return by Williams brought the oval to the 30. Brooke picked up one first down, then punted the ball back to Big Red. Senior Ohio State recruit Najee Murray returned the punt 30 yards, setting up the Ohioans in prime territory. On second down Pierro went to his right, broke a few tackles, then raced down the right sideline for another Big Red tally. Smith's PAT made it a 20-0 affair.

After the kickoff the D once again held the Bruins to a 3 and out, after mustering a meager 5 yards, and Reno's Crew set up shop at the Big Red 47. LeShawn "7 yard" Luke did most of the damage, on runs of 6, 4, and 26 yards, and then Pierro finished it off with a 11 yard TD run. XP good...27-0 Steubenville.

Another Brooke drive went absolutely no where, and Big Red got the ball back looking to add to the scoreboard before the half. A couple of first downs got things going to midfield, but then a Prather out pattern was read perfectly by Cedric McAllister who returned it to the SHS 40. Big Red held the Bruins to 9 yards on 3 downs, so Coach Tom Bruney decided to go for it on 4th. Faulkner was met in the backfield, broke the tackle and then found daylight as he raced 31 yards for the score. The XP was blocked, and the teams went to intermission with Big Red holding a 27-6 lead.

A dazzling performance by The Best Band In Buckeland please the home crowd.

The second half got underway with Big Red receiving. The drive quickly stalled however as Pierro lost control of the ball, and the Bruins were in business at the Red 41.

Big Red's outstanding defense would have none of it, as they allowed one yard on 3 tries. The punt would cover 20 yards, no return.

Brooke would come up with it's best defensive effort of the night as they held Big Red to 2 yards on 3 downs. Smith would get the punt away to midfield.

It looked as though this would turn into a defensive game, as Big Red held Brooke to minus 2 yards in the next 3 scrimmages. Another Brooke punt would pin the Red back at the 26. Big Red's dynanmic duo of Luke and Pierro would lead this drive, along with the men up front: Joey Nation, Simon Saxon, Michael Camilletti, Devon Wicker, and Luke McCourt. After a series of nice runs, led by senior William Houst paving the way, Pierro would take it to the house from 12 yards out. PAT good, 34-6, Red.

From there, the Big Red Reserves would get in on the action, as sophomore Chez Glenn and junior Mark Cole would get Big Red on the board one final time. Big Red took a knee on the XP.

Now another road game awaits this Friday night as Big Red looks to avenge one of its defeats from last year, as they head north the the Ice Castle for a battle with the Ursuline Irish.

	Big Red	Brooke
Rushing	36/337 yards	37/136 yards
Passing	10/22 189 yards	3/11 30 yards
First Downs	24	8
Penalties	6/55 yards	7/30 yards
Punts	2/35	9/31
Fumbles	2-2	1-0
Interceptions	0	1
-	-	-

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 53

Bishop Ryan Celtics, Ontario 0

September 9th, 2011

Death Valley

After a few consectutive days of rain in the Steubenville area, the clouds dissipated and it turned into an ideal evening for football. Big Red, showing their hospitality, elected to wear their road whites, with the brand new white pants, courtesy of the Big Red Booster Club.

The contest featured a visit from our friends north of the border as the Celtics of Bishop Ryan Ontario made the 325 mile (523 Kilometers), 6 hour journey. The 3 day trip didn't turn out as fun as they hoped though, as The Red jumped in front and never looked back.

The hosts received the opening kickoff and proceeded to march down the field on key plays of a Najee Murray 18 yard jaunt, followed by a Jo Jo Pierro 17 yarder, and then a QB run by Marcus Prather of 12 yards. The TD came courtesty of a Prather to junior wideout Matt Petrella 25 yard reception in which the slippery receiver broke a couple of tackles and tight-roped down the sideline into the northwest corner endzone. Luke Smith punched through the PAT and it was 7-0 in favor of the Americans. USA!...USA!...USA! was chanted from the student section.

The Celtics would start their initial drive at their 29. A series of short gains would amass a few first downs, but the GATA D would hold, forcing a punt. The punt would roll to the Big Red 7, pinning the Red deep in the shadow of its own goalpost.

Undaunted the Defenders of the Crimson & the Black would embark on a 93 yard drive. Starting it off was sophomore Chez Glen who slashed for 13 yards and a first down. Lucky McClurg then went to work hauling in passes for 11 and 13 yards respectively. Standout defensive end William Houst then got in on some offensive action as he made a nifty grab of 13 yards. LeShawn "7 Yard" Luke then picked up 12 via the ground, and fellow tailback Jo Jo Pierro took a swing pass for 11 more stripes. The drive concluded on the legs of QB Prather, as he showed some elusiveness and sprinted 17 yards to paydirt. Smith tacked on the point after attempt, and Big Red was in control 14-0 in the early second quarter.

Bishop Ryan would start at their 20, but 7 plays only resulted in 12 yards and another punt. The pigskin traveled out to the Big Red 43, where the O went back to work. This drive didn't last long as Murray would do most of the damage. First the fleet-footed senior hauled in a 13 yard pass, then he carried the ball down the right sideline for a crowd-pleasing 44 yard TD gallop. Another XP upped the count on the canucks to 21-0.

The Celts then took over at their 15, but 3 plays netted -2 yards and another punting situation. Big Red put together another decent drive, completing passes of 11, 19, and 14 yards, but the drive bogged down at the 28, as the half expired.

The Best Band In Buckeye Land put on another entertaining halftime show, entering to an old cadence that pleased the fans, and brought back memories of the early 80's.

The second half began with a Smith kickoff that pinned the invaders at their 29. The Fast & Furious Defense would limit the Celtics to 7 yards on 3 play, which again brought on the punter. He booted it out to the Big Red 45. Reno's men would then strike again, highlighted by a Prather to Marcus Grissom 28 yard connection, and then a Pierro 18 yard TD dash. The PAT pushed the lead to 28 to zip.

Ryan found the sledding tough once again, as their drive collected -2 yards in 3 tries. 4th down again brought in the punter, and again Big Red started at their own 45. This Groundhog Day type drive featured a 16 yard Luke run, a Petrella reception of 15 yards, and then a Pierro 8 yard TD run....XP good....35-0.

Bishop Ryan again went backwards as two plays for -4 yards led to an errant throw; waiting for the football was sophomore Michael Jett, who picked off his 3rd pass in as many games. The Red would take over at the Ryan 23, and would waste no time as Glenn would slice for 15 yards, and Luke would punch in the 5 yard TD run. Coach Saccoccia elected to take a knee on the XP and it was a 41-0 ballgame.

The 3rd quarter fireworks concluded with a Cody Saltsman punt return for a TD. The sophomore briefly lost the handle, then composed himself and bursted up the middle of the coverage, outracing everyone to the endzone for 67 yards. Another knee, and it was 47 to 0.

The 4th quarter's only score came on the legs of sophomore Glenn, as he blasted in from 3 yards out. The knee on the XP accounted for the final margin of 53-0.

Big Red now looks forward to its first road contest of the year, as they head across the bridge to battle the Bruins of Brooke County. This will be The Red's first visit to Brooke Memorial Stadium since 2004.

	Big Red	Ryan
Rushing	30/215 yards	29/31 yards
Passing	15/21 192 yards	10/21 74 yards
First Downs	22	8
Penalties	5/45 yards	7/45 yards
Punts	0/0	7/37
Fumbles	0-0	5-1
Interceptions	1	0
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 22

Akron Buchtel Griffins 6

September 2nd, 2011

Death Valley

It was a tale of two halves, and whatever Coach Saccoccia said at halftime must have lit a fire underneath the Big Red players, as they came out after a fine performance by both bands and took control of a 6 to nothing deficit, and turned it into a 22-6 Legends Night victory.

As the seniors of the 1984 State Champion team looked on, the Red began the game by kicking off and defending the West goal. A quick 3 and out had the large home crowd fooled into thinking this was going to be another walk in the park, but the Griffs had other ideas.

On Big Red's first possession of the contest, a pass, an incomplete, and a rush only amassed 5 yards, which brought on kicker/punter Luke "Janikoski" Smith.

Buchtel would then take over at their own 29 and would pick up the initial first down of the ballgame. But the GATA D would stiffin and force a punt that would pin the men of 420 back on their own 17.

The O would finally get a little going, after nice gains by senior tailback Jo Jo Pierro of 13 yards, and by senior wideout Najee Murray of 36 yards. QB Marcus Prather, senior, would then look to go to the endzone for Murray who was running down the home sidelines, but Buchtel's Willie Brewer was in perfect position, as he went up and snagged the pigskin from the twilight sky.

Buchtel would then proceed from their own 16 and started to feed their big back, Darre McGinnis, as he picked up a first down after 3 straight carries. Chris Davis then found Ernest Calhoun for a big 28 yard gain into Steubenville territory. The defense tightened up like a drum though, and the Griffs were forced to punt.....which took a favorable roll for the visitors all the way down to the one yard line. That punt changed the field position of the first half.

Big Red tried to get from under the shadow of its own goalposts, but could only advance to the 19, which brought on Smith again. His punt sailed to the midfield stripe as the Griffs were gaining confidence.

McGinnis once again was the workhorse as Buchtel moved into the Red zone. But on 4th and 1 from the 18 the Big Red D stood up McGinnis and S.H.S. took over on downs.

Big Red started to find some success in the rushing department, but after a couple of nice runs by Lucky McClurg, Jo Jo Pierro, and LeShawn "7 Yard" Luke, McClurg lost the handle and Buchtel took over on the Big Red 46.

With 3:42 left in the half, Buchtel went to work. A nice run netted 13 yards and a first down, then Davis hit Erron Cosey for another first down at the 19. This set up Davis' pass to Elijah Bell for the TD. The conversion was blocked by William Houst, and the Buchtel lead stood at 6-0.

The second half started with The Red receiving the kickoff. A nice return by sophomore Chez Glenn got the festivities started at the 36, as Big Red went to it's loaded pistol formation. Jo Jo Pierro had consectutive runs of 10+ yards for first downs, and then L. Luke busted one for 25 yards down the visitor sideline as the crowd and Man O' War gave their approval. From the 7 it was Pierro on two carries which knotted the game. Smith drilled the PAT and Big Red was up 7-6.

After the kickoff went out of bounds, Buchtel looked to answer from its own 35. Once again they feed McGinnis the pill. The Griffs got down to the Big Red 31, but the Fast & Furious Defense held their ground on downs.

Coach Jo Jo Saccoccia then called on Jo Jo Pierro, as the shifty hard-nosed runner went right up the gut for a scintillating 53 yard dash to paydirt. The two point conversion was from junior Evan Westlake to Houst and suddenly it was a two possession lead for the Men In Black.

Buchtel wouldn't go down without a fight though, as they put together their most impressive drive of the night. A 27 yard pass to Calhoun would get the Griffs to midfield. Then a scramble would net 21 yards more. McGinnis would pick up a first down on a 10 yard jaunt, and the Griffs were in scoring position. F&F would force a field goal attempt though, which was short and wide.

After a 3 and out drive the D was called on once again, this time responding with its 3 and out of minus 7 yards, after a Michael Jett interception brought the oval to the Buchtel 17.

From there it was the McClurg, Pierro, Luke trio, as LeShawn finished it with a 4 yard TD run. Smith tacked on the PAT and the lead was 22-6 with 1:20 to go in the game. Big Red's Randy Otis then picked off a pass to seal the deal, as the Red moved to 2-0.

Next up for the Defenders of the Crimson & the Black are the canucks of Bishop Ryan Ontario, which should be an interesting contest.

	Big Red	Buchtel
Rushing	34/239 yards	37/102 yards
Passing	1/7 3 yards	12/23 120 yards
First Downs	14	14
Penalties	6/30 yards	3/15 yards
Punts	3/40	3/37
Fumbles	1-1	0-0
Interceptions	2	1
-	-	-

 

 

 

Steubenville Big Red 31

Morgantown Mohigans 9

August 25th, 2011

Death Valley

Man O' War's flame may have been non-existant due to mechanical difficulties, but the fire in the hearts of the Big Red team was on full display Thursday night in the hallowed confines of Death Valley USA.

The 2011 edition, which is the school's 110th, came out of the gates with something to prove. Senior QB Marcus Prather led the team, both literally and figuratively, as he passed for 133 yards and 3 TD's on a 12 of 18 half of work.

The Big Red GATA Defense got the season started with a quick 3 and out, which gave the Red the ball in good field position. Prather took a shot down the field to Senior Captain Najee Murray, but it was just away from his fingertips. Morgantown got the ball back, and again was thwarted by the swarming Big Red Defense, but this time the punt/snap combination didn't click, as the snap got by the punter and he was snowed under at the 2. Big Red wasted no time capitalizing, as Jo Jo Pierro swept right towards the scoreboard and waltzed in for The Red's first points of the year. Luke "Janokiwski" Smith nailed the PAT and the Crimson & Black led 7 to zip.

Things got progressively worse for MoTown as another stalled drive led to another punt, which put Big Red right back in business. After 3 plays netting 6 yards, Coach Saccoccia elected to go for it on 4th down. Prather looked to his left and fired a dart on a slant to Junior receiver Matt Petrella, who put on a couple of shifty moves and sprinted to the West End Zone. Smitty added another PAT, the B.B.I.B.L. played The Horse, and the route was on.

The GATA D once again rained havoc on the Mohigans, led by the Dline of William Houst, Michael Constantini, Maynard Reed, and Davon Wicker, they provided constant pressure, and allowed the Backers to do their jobs.

The O aquired the pigskin at the Big Red 38 and put together a beautiful drive that featured the running of Jo Jo Pierro and LeShawn "7 Yard" Luke. After roughing up the Mohigans on the ground, Prather went to the air and found Junior Tight End Eric Robinson on a perfect pass to the endzone of 24 yards. Smith's 3rd PAT of the night upped the count to 21-0......good guys.

The Defense supplied the 5th 3 and out of the young season, led by Linebackers LeShawn Luke, Mark Cole, Smiley Hayden, TeShawn Luke, and the McClurg's. Big Red this time picked put the oval at the Red 47. Prather went back to work connecting with Pierro and Lucky McClurg for nice gains, which brought the ball into the RED ZONE. Prather went back to his Tight End and found Robinson alone in the middle of the paint to push the S.H.S advantage to 28-0.

Morgantown then abandoned their game plan and went to the air, but Sophomore Michael Jett was waiting to pick off Big Red's first pass of the year...his return set up the Red deep in MoTown territory. Jo Jo Pierro took it to the house, but the play was nullified via penalty. Luke Smith then came on for a 27 yard field goal, which sent Steubenville High to Cartledge Field House with a commanding 31-0 lead.

The Best Band In Buckeye Land put on a fine halftime performance that wowed the crowd, playing some crowd favorites from the 80's.

The second half saw the reserves get plenty of action, and gave the starters a well deserved rest.

Next week brings the Griffins from Akron Buchtel into town for what should be a clash of D3 titans. Buchtel suffered an opening game loss to the hands of week 9 opponent Massillon.

	Big Red	MoTown
Rushing	41/194 yards	33/80 yards
Passing	14/23 143 yards	2/10 18 yards
First Downs	19	7
Penalties	7/60 yards	4/20 yards
Punts	3/37	6/36
Fumbles	0-0	3-0
Interceptions	1	0
-	-	-