Steubenville keeps on rolling
Big Red claims Region 15 title, advances to state semifinals
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ST. CLAIRSVILLE -- For the first time since 2017, Reno Saccoccia will have the opportunity to enjoy a favorite holiday tradition -- practicing his Steubenville Big Red football team on Thanksgiving Day.
Saccoccia's team captured the Division IV, Region 15 championship by dominating Indian Valley 41-7 on a frigid Saturday night before a large crowd inside St. Clairsville's Red Devil Stadium.
Next up for the 12-2 Big Red is a final four date with unbeaten Cincinnati Wyoming. The 14-0 Cowboys earned the Region 16 title with a 7-0 victory over Cincinnati Taft.
The other Division IV semifinal matches Cleveland Glenville, which held off Van Wert in the Region 14 finale, against Jefferson Area. The sixth-seeded Falcons stunned top seeded West Branch to claim the Region 13 crown.
"I'm just happy for our seniors first and then the entire team," Saccoccia said after watching his squad hoist the program's 19th regional championship trophy. "These seniors have done a really good job of being leaders ever since lift club in the fifth grade. They worked hard for this and they led our juniors and sophomores.
"These seniors have raised the bar. Their hard work and effort got us back to where at least we have some feeling of success right now."
Indian Valley, which finished its outstanding season at 10-4, came into the game averaging 263 rushing yards an outing and 32 points. Big Red's quick and physical defense held the Braves to just 52 yards of total offense on 40 plays. Indian Valley ran the football 30 times for just 44 yards. IV's pair of 1,000 yard rushers (Grady Kinsey and Gavin Henry) combined for just 15 yards.
Steubenville's defense forced three turnovers (fumble recoveries by Alikwon Harris and Ayden Manning along with a Spenser Ostovich interception on a halfback pass).
Meanwhile, the Big Red offense compiled 487 yards (202 rushing and 285 passing) and turned four of its first five possessions into points.
"We played well on offense, defense and special teams," Saccoccia said. "We had a great game and that speaks to preparation. Our kids worked hard to prepare for this game and we had a great week of practice.
"I'm happy for everyone. I'm happy for our coaches who set up a great game plan and I'm happy for our players who executed the game plan. Right now, that is the most important thing -- executing the plan and I thought we did a great job tonight."
Big Red's only real flaw came in the penalty department. It drew 15 flags for 128 yards.
"I have been saying this all year and this was our 14th week, we have to fix the penalties," Saccoccia pointed out. "We haven't fixed them yet so we probably are not going to do it."
Steubenville's opening possession started at its own 23. Following a 7-yard pass from Phaeton Hill to Isaac Hill and a couple of Gavin Bozica runs, Savier Faulks broke loose for 59 yards. He was stripped of the football inside the Indian Valley 15 but Ty Pierce alertly picked up the loose pigskin and motored the final 11 yards for a touchdown, his first of the season. Cole Bowers' conversion kick made it 7-0 at the 9:48 mark of the first quarter.
After the defense forced a three and out, Big Red's offense went to work again at its own 28. Three plays netted seven yards but Ostovich kept the march going with a 5-yard gain on a fake punt. Two snaps later, Phaeton Hill connected with Ivan Buggs for a 55-yard score. Bowers again split the uprights.
Big Red's next score came early in the second quarter following a 63-yard march. Kyjhaun Hopkins capped it off with a 3yard run. The Hill to Hill combination accounted for 27 of the yards and Ostovich again delivered a key carry to convert a fourth and three and the Indian Valley seven. A pass for the two-point conversion failed.
Indian Valley's only touchdown came with 6:56 left before the intermission. Quarterback Kolton Thomas raced 27 yards for the six-pointer. The score came following a Breydan Parsons recovery of a Steubenville fumble at the Big Red 22. Thomas scored after the Braves were hit with a false start penalty.
Big Red needed just nine snaps to answer the IV score. On first down from the Steubenville 20, Phaeton Hill hit Tylik Sims with a short swing pass. Sims went all the way to the Indian Valley 20 before going down. Zach Smith got the touchdown on a 1-yard plunge. Hakim Edwards ran for the conversion and it was 28-7 Big Red at the break.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Steubenville found the end zone again with 9:22 left to play. Phaeton Hill and Buggs connected for a second time, this touchdown covering 14 yards. Hayden Hicks booted the extra point.
A 12-yard run by Jalen Minniefield, which came after Manning's fumble recovery, closed the scoring and kicked in the OHSAA 30-point mercy rule. On the conversion attempt, injured seniors Cooper Blackburn and Cam Daley, trotted onto the field and lined up at tight end and tackle respectively. After receiving the snap, Manning immediately took a knee.
"I didn't want to say anything to anyone but I knew in the back of my mind that I wanted to do it if we had the opportunity," Saccoccia said of giving Blackburn and Daley the chance to be on the playing field in the regional championship game. "I hope those two guys appreciate us as much as we appreciate them."
Phaeton Hill completed 20 of his 26 passes for 285 and two touchdowns. He did threw two interceptions. Isaac Hill led the Big Red in receiving with nine grabs for 81 yards. Sims had three catches for 81 and Lee Anthony Sewell three for 46.
Faulks led the ground game with 110 yards on 11 trips.
"I want to thank everyone, especially the media, for really supporting us," Saccoccia said. "I want to thank our fans, our boosters and our parents. I want to thank everyone that has stuck with us.
"I know that I am not the easiest person to get along with but I am really glad our parents have trusted me with their sons."
UP NEXT
Big Red and Cincinnati Wyoming will collide this Saturday at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus. The kick is set for 7 p.m. and Big Red will be the designated home team.
The Division IV championship game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 3 at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.
"Practice on Thanksgiving -- that's beautiful," Saccoccia said.
Wyoming has won four regional championships in the last five seasons. The Cowboys captured a state title in 2018 and fell in the semifinals in 2019 and 2020.
The offense is led by running back C.J. Hester, who has committed to continue his football career at Western Michigan. Hester scored on a 59-yard run in regional finals and finished with 137 yards. He has crossed the century mark and scored at least one touchdown in every game this season. Hester is 33 rushing yards away from 3,000 for the season and 28 away from 7,000 for his career.
Wyoming's defense has allowed just five touchdowns all season. It is one of just seven teams in Ohio high school football history to record 10 shutouts in a season.
Big Red fans are reminded tickets must be purchased in advance at www.ohsaa.org/tickets
Tickets will go on sale this afternoon.
Steubenville now has an all-time playoff record of 73-30.
Steubenville 41, Indian Valley 7
Indian Valley 0 7 0 0
Big Red 14 14 0 13
First Quarter:
BIG RED: Pierce 11 run with fumble recovery (Bowers kick)
BIG RED: Buggs 55 pass from P. Hill (Bowers kick)
Second Quarter:
BIG RED: Hopkins 3 run (pass failed)
INDIAN VALLEY: Thomas 27 run (Miller kick)
BIG RED: Smith 1 run (Edwards run)
Fourth Quarter:
BIG RED: Buggs 14 pass from P. Hill (Hicks kick)
BIG RED: Minniefield 12 run (Big Red took a knee)
RUSHING: Indian Valley 30-44-1 (Thomas 12-31-1; Kinsey 10-15; Henry 7-0; Burcher 1-(-2)); Big Red 42-202-4 (Faulks 11-110; Bozica 13-41; Minniefield 5-15-1; Ostovich 3-9; Hopkins 3--1-1; Edwards 1-5; Pierce 1-11-1; Smith 1-1-1; P. Hill 2-0; West 1-1; Bryant 1-1).
PASSING: Indian Valley 3-10-8-int (Thomas 3-9-8; Henry 0-1-int); Big Red 20-27-285-2-2ints (P. Hill 20-26-285-2-2ints; Manning 0-1)
RECEIVING: Indian Valley 3-8 (Henry 3-8); Big Red 20-285-2 (I. Hill 9-81; Sims 3-81; Sewell 3-46; Buggs 2-69-2; Edwards 1-5; Pierce 1-4; Kernahan 1-(-1)).
FIRST DOWNS: Indian Valley 4, Big Red 23.
PENALTIES-YARDS: Indian Valley 4-25; Big Red 15-128.
PUNTS: Indian Valley 8-32; Big Red 2-39.
FUMBLES-LOST: Indian Valley 2-2; Big Red 2-1.