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Another night, another Big Red blowout

Steubenville’s Erik Lulla and Randy Mitchell tackle Erie’s Danny Blue on Friday. Also shown is Big Red’s Jeziah Blackwell. (Photo by Joe Catullo)

STEUBENVILLE — Big Red ran its win streak to seven Friday, thanks to a 31-16 hard-fought victory over Erie, Pa., inside Harding Stadium.

Junior tailback Tayveon Crawford had another monster game for Steubenville, Ohio’s fourth-ranked Division IV club and the Region 13 computer standings leader. He ran for 254 yards and a pair of scores. The effort allowed Crawford to top the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season.

Senior quarterback Clayton Criss tossed a pair of touchdown passes to fellow senior Erik Lulla, as Big Red improved to 7-1. With the loss, the Royals fall to 2-5.

“I’m happy with the win,” Big Red coach Reno Saccoccia said. “Erie is a very physical team, and that offense kept us on our toes. Erie did a good job. It was a very physical game, and it really tested our mettle.

“Going forward, there are things we need to clean up on both sides of the ball, and we’ll work on doing just that.”

Big Red got on the board with 4:03 left in the opening quarter when Lulla grabbed a Criss pass in the back of the Erie end zone and managed to get his feet down for the score. The scoring toss covered 13 yards. Crawford ran for the extra points.

After a fumble recovery by Mehki Twillie, the Royals moved to Steubenville’s 13 before the drive stalled. Tyler Viera drilled a 30-yard field goal to make it 8-3.

Saccoccia’s crew responded by marching 65 yards. Big plays on the drive were a 37-yard burst by Crawford and a 17-yard Criss pass to Niko Kausky. The touchdown came via a 2-yard Crawford plunge. Criss then hit Ethan Duggan for the two-pointer.

Steubenville scored again with 11 seconds left in the half, this time on a 24-yard Criss to Lulla connection. Joe Brown ran for the conversion. The score came following a fumble recovery by Kwadre Williams.

Big Red had a chance to extend its lead on the last play of the half, but a Criss pass fell incomplete. The scoring opportunity came when Erie mishandled Tanner Power’s kick, and Andoni Demitras fell on the loose pigskin.

The Royals made it 24-10 early in the third on a 45-yard sprint by Brendyn Thurston. Erie threatened again early in the fourth, moving from its own 31 to the Big Red 3. On third down, a fumble by the visitors rolled into the end zone. After a scramble, Big Red emerged with the football.

Big Red then needed just two plays to extend its lead. After Kausky ran for a pair, Crawford burst through a hole and raced 78 yards for a score. Powers’ kick closed the Steubenville scoring.

Jahill Granberry’s 19-yard run accounted for Erie’s final touchdown.

“There are just some things we need to work hard on improving,” Saccoccia said. “Our kids are good football players, and they know what we have to do.”

Big Red finished with 337 yards on the ground, while Erie compiled 302. Thurston paced the Royals with 122, all coming in the second half.

Erie drew 14 flags, 11 coming in the first half, for 97 yards. The Royals also lost four fumbles, while Big Red fumbled the ball away three times.

“We came in with seven starters out,” Erie coach Rob Matz said. “We knew we would have some issues. Things just didn’t go our way.

“I’m happy with the way our guys came out and stepped up. I’m just really proud of my kids.”

Big Red will host Cardinal O’Hara from Tonawanda, N.Y., next Friday.

Steubenville 31, Erie 16

Erie 0 3 7 6 — 16

Big Red 8 16 0 7 — 31

BIG RED: Lulla 13 pass from Criss (Crawford run)

ERIE: Viera 30 field goal

BIG RED: Crawford 2 run (Duggan pass from Criss)

BIG RED: Lulla 24 pass from Criss (Brown run)

ERIE: Thurston 45 run (Viera kick)

BIG RED: Crawford 78 run (Power kick)

ERIE: Granberry 19 run (kick blocked)

RUSHING: Erie 46-302-2 (Blue 8-35; Williams 7-46; Wall 1-0; Arrington 2-2; Goodwine 6-78; Thompson 4-(-1); Crosby 2-(-1); Thurston 12-122-1; Granberry 4-31-1); Big Red 33-337-2 (Crawford 23-254-1; Blackwell 3-29; Tuttle 1-1; Kausky 4-43; Wickham 2-10).

PASSING: Erie 2-8-38 (Granberry 2-5-38l Munson 0-1; Blue 0-2); Big Red 5-8-65-2 1 (all by Criss)

RECEIVING: Erie 2-38 (Verra 1-29; Houston 1-9); Big Red 5-65-2 (Lulla 2-37-2; Kausky 1-17; Rauch 1-8; Duggan 1-3).

FIRST DOWNS: Erie 15; Big Red 12.

PENALTIES-YARDS: Erie 14-97; Big Red 8-80.

PUNTS: Erie 3-41; Big Red 2-45.

FUMBLES-LOST: Erie 4-4; Big Red 3-3.

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