photo by: Andrew Grimm

Big Red's Cajuan Bryant cuts back for a big gain against Erie McDowell on Friday night at Harding Stadium. Big Red won, 36-13, for it's sixth-straight victory. 

STEUBENVILLE — In the last few weeks, it’s been the second half performances that have spurred Big Red’s winning streak. Friday night Steubenville showed it can start fast, too.

Big Red jumped on visiting Erie McDowell early with 21 first quarter points and turned two first half interceptions into touchdowns the other way on the way to a 36-13 triumph over the Trojans.

“We got a fast start and that’s what I really wanted to see,” Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia said. “We hadn’t gotten off to a fast start all year and tonight we got off to a great start. We had two turnovers and turned them both into points.

“We had a little bit of a letdown in the second quarter, but it was a fast start, a solid finish and a good win.”

The victory, a big one in the playoff race as McDowell (3-6) is a Division I school by OHSAA standards, is the sixth-straight triumph for Big Red (6-2).

According to Joe Eitel’s unofficial rankings Friday night, Big Red stayed in sixth place in Division III, Region 11 with the victory. The top four get a first-round bye, and the top eight host at least one playoff game this year. He also had Big Red listed as in control of its own destiny going into the final week of the regular season.

Ca’Juan Bryant had another big night running the ball, racking up 106 yards on 15 carries. Santino Haney fired a pair of TD tosses to Ziare Scurry (seven catches for 11 yards) in going 12 of 20 for 155 yards on the night. James Turner also plunged in for a pair of short-yardage TD runs.

All told, Big Red totaled 378 yards of offense, 312 of which came in the first half.

“I’m really proud of the job the players did executing the game plan and I’m proud of the coaches for a great game plan on both sides of the ball,” Saccoccia said. “The players executed it beautifully.”

Big Red’s first score came on a 48-yard pitch and catch from Haney to Scurry, then, after an interception by Quentavious West got the ball back for the Big Red offense, Turner powered in from the 1 to quickly make it 14-0.

Another INT, this time by Braidyn Edwards, ended a promising McDowell drive at the Big Red 10. On the next snap, Colton Henderson took his only carry of the game 90 yards past everyone to make it a 21-0 Steubenville lead after one quarter, with 14 of the points coming off turnovers.

Scurry hauled in a 24-yard pass from Haney in the second quarter on a nice grab to make it 28-0.

After Big Red had an interception in the end zone to prevent it from adding to the lead late in the second quarter, McDowell kicker Joseph Clark, who had missed from 42 earlier in the half, hit a 23-yard field goal in the final minute of the first half making it 28-3 at halftime. A false start on third and goal at the 1 and a big stop from the defense had pushed the Trojans back.

Clark hit a 27-yarder early in the third quarter to make it 28-6, again after a penalty made a fourth down try less likely.

Big Red put together a long scoring drive, marching 12 plays, to enact the running clock, Turner plunging in from 2 yards out after Steubenville had converted a pair of fourth downs to extend the drive.

McDowell got a 6-yard TD pass from third string QB Evan Kuhn with 1:03 to go to stop the running clock, but Big Red had long since had things well at hand.

On defense, in addition to Edwards and West having interceptions, Landon Crosier had a tackle for loss and a pass break up, while Ryan Bise had a sack and Chemier Adams broke up a pass.

NOTES

-Big Red honored legendary baseball coach Fred Heatherington at halftime, presenting him and his family with a plaque from the Big Red boosters. Heatherington retired at the end of this past baseball season after 36 successful years at the helm and a long list of accolades, including 697 wins.

-The Steubenville elementary school/flag football program was recognized prior to the game. The program is in its 69th season.

UP NEXT

Big Red has one more game in the regular season before playoff time, a meeting of OVAC powers as Wheeling Park comes to Harding Stadium on senior night.