Steubenville Earns Senior Night Victory
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STEUBENVILLE -- The Big Red football team may have had a playoff spot and bye week locked up before they stepped on the field Friday night, but they still had a lot to play for on senior night.
Wanting to get a victory on the night they recognized their seniors, Big Red got big plays in all three phases of the game to close the regular season with a strong 40-6 victory over Digital Pioneers Academy.
"It was a great win," Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia said. "It's good to get the seniors a win on senior night."
With the victory over the visitors from the Washington D.C. area, Big Red heads into the playoffs with an 8-2 record and winners of three-straight. According to Joe Eitel's rankings Friday night, Big Red finished as the No. 1 seed in Division III, Region 11.
They will have a bye week before opening the playoffs at home on Nov. 6.
"I'm just happy for our players," Saccoccia said. "We had some tough times and it just made us tougher. The last couple of games, we played like I envisioned we could at the beginning of the year. I congratulate our team, coaches, fans and anyone that has anything to do with the Big Red football program on a good regular season. I thank our fans, they have really come out and supported us.
"It's playoff time now. We'll take a break until Monday and then start getting ready. We want to work to improve every day until our first playoff game. We accomplished our goal of getting to play at home in the playoffs, now we have to reset our goals and get ready for the playoffs."
In the win, Big Red ran for 196 yards and two scores and threw for 220 and three more, while also having a special teams score.
Stephen McShan had a big night, hauling four passes for 109 yards and a score, intercepting two passes on defense and blocking a punt, which he recovered for another score.
Santino Haney went 10 of 13 passing for 220 yards and three scores on his senior night, while the run game was led by 91 yards from Colton Henderson, while James Turner and Chevy McGee each ran for a score. Big Red used nine different ball carriers in the game.
The Pythons (5-3) got off to a strong start, forcing a fumble on the first Big Red drive and taking advantage to strike first with a 64-yard Qualoe Parker touchdown catch-and-run on a pass from Santana Smith.
From there, however, it was all Big Red.
Steubenville answered with an 11-play drive capped by a 4-yard Turner score, Chase Beall's kick putting Big Red up 7-6 and they never trailed again.
After the defense got a stop, McShan blocked the ensuing punt and recovered it in the end zone to double the lead. After an interception by McShan, Haney hit Quintavius West on a 34-yard touchdown one play later to make it 21-6.
The defense got another stop and a nine-play drive before the half was capped by a Haney to fellow senior Landon Crosier touchdown toss, covering 15 yards with 11 seconds before the break for a 28-6 halftime lead.
McShan hauled in a 31-yard score on the first Big Red drive of the second half, then McGee added his scoring run in the fourth quarter to cap the scoring.
Ny'Zir Birder had two interceptions on the second half, By'Seir Luke had a sack and a forced fumble and Sam Robinson had a sack as the defense shut the door.