Photo by Michael D. McElwain Linsy’s Malte Feil, right, and Steubenville’s Micah Mitchell, left, both leap to make a play on a ball Friday night inside Harding Stadium.

STEUBENVILLE–For the second consecutive week, Linsly used a fantastic finish to earn a huge victory on the road.

Atley Cowan connected with Malte Feil for an 18-yard touchdown with 1:12 left to play and Santiago Graneros nailed his conversion kick as the Cadets stunned previously unbeaten Steubenville 28-27 before a full house inside Harding Stadium Friday.

“We knew it was going to take all four quarters and our best effort could potentially not be enough,” Linsly coach BJ Depew said after his team captured its fourth straight victory and improved to 5-1 on the season. “We thought we would need a couple of breaks and we definitely got a couple of breaks that kept it close throughout.

“I’m so proud of our guys and the effort they gave tonight. I’m really speechless. It was tough to come up with some words for the guys in the huddle at the end.”

Big Red, which fell to 6-1, took a 27-21 lead with 5:58 remaining on a 9-yard pass from Phaeton Hill to Jace Kernahan. The scoring toss came on a fourth down. Earlier in the march, Steubenville converted on a fourth and eight from its own 25 when P. Hill found Isaac Hill for 29 yards. The extra point was blocked by Linsly’s Luca DiLorenzo.

Depew’s club, which upset Fort Frye a week ago thanks to a late Graneros field goal, moved from its own 37 to the Big Red 12 following Kernahan’s score. The drive was aided by a pass interference call on the hosts. The scoring opportunity ended with a fumble, which was recovered by Steubenville’s Spencer Ostovich.

Big Red fumbled the pigskin away on the first snap, Linsly’s Mateo Dimiitrioski recovering. Three snaps later, Cowan and Feil hooked up for the touchdown.

Steubenville’s last possession ended with an interception by Raymond Kovalesky.

“It feels absolutely incredible,” Depew said. “We talk about the next play being the most important play of the game and there were so many moments you can point to–obviously the blocked PAT by DiLorenzo and the made PAT by our guy that turned out to be the difference.

“There were so many plays throughout the game where even though they were gaining yards, we were able to stop them from breaking the big one. Those made the difference. Our defense bent the whole game but only broke once. That was kind of the hope and the game plan.”

The victory was Linsly’s first over Big Red in 10 tries. The all-time series now stands at 8-1-1 in favor of Steubenville.

“We had too many key penalties at crucial times on both sides of the ball–that’s what hurt us the most,” Big Red’s Reno Saccoccia said. “Hats off to Linsly, their kids played a hell of a game.

“We didn’t do anything well enough tonight. We didn’t coach well enough and we didn’t play well enough. Maybe we will learn from it and that will help us in the long run.”

On the night, Big Red drew 12 flags for 109 yards. It had a 40-yard touchdown run by P. Hill nullified by a holding call early in the third quarter.

“A lot of things did us in,” Saccoccia said. “We had too many big plays called back because of penalties. I think we had four first downs called back and that doesn’t work when you are playing the level of completion we are playing. We have to be almost perfect every week.”

Big Red opened the scoring when Gavin Bozica capped a 10-play 68-yard drive with a 5-yard run. Cole Bowers’ kick made it 7-0.

Linsly answered with an 87-yard scoring march. The touchdown came on a 9-yard pass from Coward Jy’Leik Johnson. Graneros knotted the score with his conversion boot.

Depew’s squad took the lead late in the second quarter thanks to a 4-yard run by DiLorenzo. Again Graneros added the point after.

With 2:10 left in the opening half, Big Red found the end zone again on a 1-yard P. Hill sneak. The two-point conversion failed and the half ended with the Cadets ahead 14-13.

Big Red took its first lead midway through the third when Ostovich capped a 64-yard drive with a 6-yard burst. The march was highlighted by a nifty 48-yard Savier Faulks run. Bozica ran for the two-pointer.

Once again, the Cadets responded, traveling 73 yards. This time, Cowan found Nathan Coleman for an 8-yard score. Thanks to Graneros’ kick, it was 21 all heading into the final 12 minutes.

Cowan had a strong night for Linsly, completing 19 of his 27 passes for 256 yards and three scores. DiLorenzo finished with six receptions, good for 105 yards. Feil had five catches for 68.

“They are all excellent wins,” Depew said when discussing his team’s winning streak. “These wins give our kids the confidence they need moving forward. We have a lot of tough games ahead of us still.

“There’s no doubt these weeks are taking their toll physically but they also are giving us confidence. They are bringing us together as a team and it sure feels good.”

P. Hill was 20 of 31 for 201 yards. I. Hill has five catches for 73 and Lee Anthony Sewell four catches for 44. Big Red rushed for 222 yards. Faulks finished with 107 and Bozica 74.

“We tasted defeat tonight,” Saccoccia said. “We know what it tastes like now. If we don’t want that taste in our mouth again, then maybe we will do better going forward.”

Linsly 28, Steubenville 27

Linsly 7 7 7 7

Big Red 7 6 8 6

BIG RED: Bozica 5 run (Bowers kick)

LINSLY: Johnson 9 pass from Cowan (Graneros kick)

LINSLY: DiLorenzo 4 run (Graneros kick)

BIG RED: P. Hill 1 run (run failed)

BIG RED: Ostovich 6 run (Bozica run

LINSLY: Coleman 8 pass from Cowan (Graneros kick)

BIG RED: Kernahan 9 pass from P. Hill (kick blocked)

LINSLY: Feil 18 pass from Cowan (Graneros kick)

RUSHING: Linsly 18-34-1 (Taylor 9-33; Johnson 3-13; DiLorenzo 1-4-1; Cowan 5-(-16)); Big Red 45-222-3 (Bozica 20-74; Faulks 16-107; Ostovich 4-27-1; P. Hill 4-11-1; Hopkins 1-3).

PASSING: Linsly 19-28-256-3 (Cowan 19-27-256-3; DiLorenzo 0-1); Big Red 20-31-201-1-int (all by P. Hill).

RECEIVING: Linsly 19-256-3 (DiLorenzo 6-105; Feil 5-68-1; Coleman 3-40-1; Taylor 4-34; Johnson 1-9-1); Big Red 20-201-1 (I. Hill 5-73; Sewell 4-44; Buggs 3-28; Hopkins 2-9; Sims 2-18; Kernahan 2-29-1; Edwards 2-0).

FIRST DOWNS: Linsly 18; Big Red 24.

PENALTIES-YARDS: Linsly 8-64; Big Red 12-109.

FUMBLES-LOST: Linsly 1-1; Big Red 1-1.