Big Red bounces back
Steubenville improves to 5-1 with homecoming night victory
Andrew Grimm HOISTED HIGH — Big Red's Colton Henderson is hoisted by offensive lineman Kadin Gryskevich after one of his two scoring runs in Friday's 37-14 victory over Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm ROOM TO RUN — Big Red's Colton Henderson breaks a tackle against Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm ACROSS THE LINE — Big Red's James Turner dives over the goal line for a touchdown.
Andrew Grimm YOU LIFT ME UP — Big Red's James Turner is lifted up celebrating his touchdown with Kadin Gryskevich.
Andrew Grimm CUTTING BACK — Big Red's Colton Henderson makes a cut back against Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm EYES ON THE BALL — Big Red's Saige Smarrella hauls in a deep pass against Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm HOISTED HIGH — Big Red's Colton Henderson is hoisted by offensive lineman Kadin Gryskevich after one of his two scoring runs in Friday's 37-14 victory over Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm ROOM TO RUN — Big Red's Colton Henderson breaks a tackle against Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm ACROSS THE LINE — Big Red's James Turner dives over the goal line for a touchdown.
Andrew Grimm YOU LIFT ME UP — Big Red's James Turner is lifted up celebrating his touchdown with Kadin Gryskevich.
Andrew Grimm CUTTING BACK — Big Red's Colton Henderson makes a cut back against Wheelersburg.
Andrew Grimm EYES ON THE BALL — Big Red's Saige Smarrella hauls in a deep pass against Wheelersburg.
Trending
STEUBENVILLE -- Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia wanted to see his team respond and get back on track. As the veteran coach saw it, they took the first steps in doing just that Friday night.
The defense got a big fourth down stop in the red zone to set the tone early on and Colton Henderson got the offense going with a big run, kick-starting Big Red's 37-14 win over visiting Wheelersburg on homecoming night at Harding Stadium.
"It was a good response," Saccoccia said. "We spent all week trying to work ourselves out of a funk and tonight was step one. I am happy with step one."
With the victory over the reigning Division V state runner up, Big Red gets back in the win column and improves to 5-1.
"I'm happy with the way we played," Saccoccia said. "We got together and played better offensively, played better defensively and the kids just executed the plan.
"Every day we have to work to get a little bit better and the kids understand that and are working to get better."
Wheelersburg (3-3) got off to a strong start by putting together a 12-play drive all the way to the Big Red 8 yard line to start the game, but the defense held and forced a turnover on downs. A couple snaps later, Henderson was off to the races for a 76-yard score, and from there, Steubenville was in control, scoring the first 37-straight points.
"They had a really good first drive," Saccoccia said. "The key to defense sometimes is just getting them back in the huddle. They were getting chunks of yards on us, but we kept getting them back in the huddle. We got a big stop on third and fourth down and we played some good defense from there."
Henderson ended up finishing with 169 yards on 17 carries and two scores, 98 of those yards coming in the first quarter and 144 before halftime.
As a team, Big Red finished with 220 of their 274 yards on the ground, scoring all five of their touchdowns with the ground game. James Turner (8 yards), Karson Simmons (3 yards) and Chevy McGee (6 yards) all had one end zone trip each.
After the big stop on the Pirates first drive, the Big Red defense needed a lot less plays to get off the field, forcing a three-and-out. Santino Haney, who completed all three of his pass attempts and two more on two-point conversions, quickly hit a 47-yard pass to Saige Smarrella, then Turner went the rest of the way on the next snap to double the lead.
The defense again came up big, Tajon Hython recovering a Pirates fumble, and two plays later Simmons powered in to add onto the lead.
Another defensive stop, a partially blocked punt gave Big Red a short field and again the offense made quick work to take advantage, Henderson adding his second score -- a 3-yarder -- to make it a 30-0 lead at halftime.
After Riley Weaver was crowned homecoming queen at the break, the second half started with a running clock and stayed that way until the Pirates tacked on a couple of fourth quarter scores from Jack Doerr (54 rush yards, 75 passing yards) and Jaython King, but not until after McGee had made it 37-0 with his scoring run.
DEFENSIVE PLAYMAKERS
The defensive effort was led by Turner forcing a pair of fumbles, Landon Crosier with a sack and a tackle for loss, Stephen McShan breaking up a pass and Giovanni Lulla with a TFL.
UP NEXT
Big Red, which entered the week ranked No. 4 in Division III by the Ohio Associated Press poll, heads on the road for the final time in the regular season for a big matchup against Ursuline at Youngstown State's Stambaugh Stadium on Thursday night.