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Saccoccia: 2017 schedule is competitive

STEUBENVILLE–Reno Saccoccia has exactly what he wants as prepares for his 34th season as Big Red’s football coach — a competitive schedule.

“No doubt, our schedule this season is extremely competitive,” Saccoccia said following Sunday’s 21st annual Lew Giammarco Appreciation and Football Kickoff Dinner, sponsored by the Big Red Boosters Club. “The positive thing about a competitive schedule is it wakes your kids up. You tend to have a better off season and better two-a-day practices. You tend to work harder because you know you are going to be tested every week.

“The negative thing about a competitive schedule is if you complain about it, you probably aren’t going to fair well.”

Big Red will begin its competitive schedule on Aug. 25 when Upper St. Clair, which competes in the WPIAL Class 5A Allegheny Nine Conference, visits Harding Stadium. This season’s opener will be the 1,144th game in Big Red football history. Currently, Steubenville sports an all-time record of 791-316-36.

Saccoccia’s club will then visit Morgantown before returning home to battle first-time opponent St. Joseph Catholic High School from Windsor, Ontario. Homes games with Boardman and Pittsburgh USO follow before Big Red visits Dover. The final four games, all at Harding Stadium, are with Youngstown Ursuline, New Philadelphia, Cardinal O’Hara from Tonawanda, N.Y. and University School, based in the Cleveland suburb of Hunting Valley and another first time foe.

Big Red went 13-2 a season ago, dropping a heart-breaking 24-21 decision to Columbus Bishop Hartley in the Division IV championship game. The Hawks also clipped Steubenville in the 2015 title contest.

Steubenville, which will be gunning for its 17th straight trip to the post-season, will have a new regional home in 2017 as it will compete in Region 13.

On paper, the region looks to be highly competitive. Other schools include Perry, which Steubenville defeated in the 2016 state semifinals, Youngstown Cardinal Mooney, Ursuline, Poland, Canal Fulton Northwest, West Geauga and Struthers

To date, Saccoccia stated, his Big Red is having “a really good summer.”

‘We didn’t have a real good spring but we’ve had a really good summer,” he continued. “We’ve also had a good first eight days of camp. We’ll have camps nine and 10 Monday and Tuesday. We’re looking to finish strong. After Tuesday, the guys will be off until two-a-days start on July 31.”

Big Red’s 2017 squad will pretty much have the same goal as the 33 Saccoccia-coached teams that came before it.

“The real goal, the consistent goal is to get better every day,” the veteran coach said. “If we do that then when the last day comes we will probably should be where we are supposed to be.”

During the dinner, Saccoccia introduced the 21 senior members of his team (Johnny Agresta, Jacob Bernard, Jonathan Blackmon, Javon Davis, Alijah Demitras, Zach Ekey, Tyler Ely, Devin Evans, Nick Isla, DaJuan Jones, Lucas Koval, Marlon Lawrence, Quentin Moore, Ryan Neely, Jamaal Petteway, Gino Pierro, Reuben Saxon, Alec Taylor, Jordan Viers and Abe Zane.

“I feel we have a really good senior class,” Saccoccia pointed out. “They have been working hard and providing leadership. The guys have brought all they have.

“We hope when we gather here the second week of December for our season-ending banquet to have some real, real good news to share.”

Cheering advisor Stephanie Wineman also introduced senior members of her squad: Jalen Byrom, Hayle Garrison, Aiyanna Glynn, Koreyn Gray, Jaliyah Hubbard and Jessica Walkosky.

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