OVAC 5A Powers Battle
Big Red welcomes Wheeling Park for early season showdown
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By ED LOOMAN
For The Intelligencer
STEUBENVILLE -- A couple of Ohio Valley heavyweights will square off in an early season showdown Friday at Harding Stadium when Big Red takes on Wheeling Park.
The Big Red is 2-0 following victories over Division I Olentangy Liberty (22-7) and New Philadelphia (41-7). Park used a couple of big passing plays and a late defensive stand in winning its opener at St. Clairsville 18-14. With the win, the Patriots snapped a five-year losing streak to the Red Devils.
The kick for the 15th meeting (Steubenville holds a commanding 13-1 series lead) between the OVAC Class 5A schools is set for 7 p.m. Prior to the game, the Big Red Boosters Club will resume its Legends Night celebration (the event was not held in 2020 due to COVID), honoring senior members of the 1993 Steubenville squad.
Park's debut featured 11 new starters on the offensive side of the football. Junior Brett Phillips (6-2, 175) stepped in at quarterback for veteran coach Chris Daugherty and put together an impressive performance.
Phillips connected with sophomore speedster Jerrae Hawkins for a 61-yard score. On what proved to be the game-winning drive, the duo hooked up for a 44-yard gainer. All told, Hawkins caught five passes for 134 yards.
Senior Hunter Nixon (5-11, 175) is Park's top threat at running back. Nixon is a three-year starter at linebacker. Senior Brandon Murphy also will get some carries.
"The name of the game today is speed and Wheeling Park has plenty of speed," said Big Red coach Reno Saccoccia. "The Park coaches know how to use that speed. They are a quality, well-coached football team."
"Defensively, our goals will remain the same. We want to stop the run and tackle the pass. You can't take both away from an opponent. They are going to complete their passes. Where speed hurts a defense is when you give them yards after a catch. We will need to be good tacklers in the secondary and not give them yards after the catch."
Along the offensive front, Park has plenty of size. Junior lineman Mike Hogan stands 6-foot-4 and goes 325. Zayne Ackley is 6-foot-0, 250. Merrick Miller and Zach Parsons also provide size and skill on the line.
"Upfront, they have size and talent," Saccoccia said. "They have 300 pounders at center and both guards.
"It's going to be a fight in the trenches and our defensive guys will have to be ready."
Through two games, Big Red's defense has been up to the challenge. The unit has allowed 14 points and held their opponents to just 14 first downs.
On the ground, the defense is allowing 64.5 yards per game. Through the air, the average is 73 yards. Big Red foes have ran the ball 54 times for average per rush of 2.4 yards.
Steubenville has delivered nine takeaways -- two interceptions and seven fumble recoveries.
In the New Philadelphia game, junior Spencer Ostovich recorded six tackles for a loss and forced two fumbles from his defensive line spot. Senior linebacker Brandon Kinney had five tackles and also caused a fumble. Senior Rodney James, sophomore Javin Harper, junior Tylik Sims and sophomore Peyton Gorby all came through with fumble recoveries. James turned his into a 36-yard touchdown.
Offensively, Saccoccia's club is averaging 31.5 points per game, 250 yards on the ground and 210 via the pass. Big Red is averaging 6.6 yards per rushing attempt.
James has carried the rock 34 times for 292 yards (he's averaging 8.6 yards a trip) and four touchdowns. He broke off a 66-yard scoring run against Olentangy.
Sophomore Savier Faulks came off Saccoccia's bench to compile 66 rushing yards against New Philly. In two games, Ostovich has used his 12 carries to gain 64 yards.
Junior Phaeton Hill has been solid in his two starts at quarterback. Hill has completed 25 of his 41 attempts (a completion rate of 61 percent) for 420 yards and three touchdowns.
Sophomore Isaac Hill leads Big Red in receiving with six grabs for 117 yards. Senior Brenton James has four catches for 114 yards and two touchdowns while James also has four catches. Phaeton Hill and Jones connected for scores of 31 and 67 yards in the New Philadelphia game.
"We are not going to change what we do," Saccoccia said. "Every day in practice, we focus on doing things better.
"They are going to see what we do and try to take it away. Hopefully, we will have a good week of practice and come Friday, we'll be ready to do what we do better."
LEGENDS NIGHT
In 1993, Saccoccia guided the Big Red to a 9-1 record. Steubenville dropped a 31-13 verdict to Massillon Perry in Week 9.
Big Red rebounded to close its regular season with a 42-20 beating of Akron Hoban. Unfortunately, the squad fell just sure of earning a spot in the Ohio playoffs.
"It will be good see those guys," Saccoccia said of his 1993 seniors. "There were some really good players on that team. It was a tough year for us since we didn't make the playoffs.
"Youngstown East and Youngstown Rayen were scheduled to play each other in the final week. We had defeated them both so we expected to earn more playoff points. Then there was a strike in the Youngstown school system so the game was not played. That kept us out of the playoffs."