LISTENING TO DIRECTIONS — Big Red, who was ranked No. 4 in Division IV in the first AP Poll and sits 3-0, will test Pittsburgh University Prep Friday night at Harding Stadium. - Andrew Grimm

STEUBENVILLE — Big Red will be looking for its second consecutive 4-0 start when it welcomes Pittsburgh University Prep to Reno Field inside Harding Stadium Friday.

Steubenville, which is ranked fourth in the initial Ohio AP Division IV poll behind Cleveland Glenville, Van Wert and Cincinnati Wyoming, owns victories over Louisville (21-0), New Philadelphia (20-0) and Archbishop Carroll (29-14).

University Prep, which includes players from University Prep, Sci-Tech and Obama Academy high schools, dropped a 34-12 verdict in its opener to Highlands. Coach Lou Berry’s club was idle last week.

Friday’s meeting will be the seventh all-time between the schools. Thanks to a 34-0 win in 2021,

Big Red leads the series 6-0. The kick is set for 7 p.m.

“Coach Berry does a really good job with his program” Big Red’s Reno Saccoccia said. “They have veterans back at the skilled positions and two starters return to the offensive line. The defensive line is experienced. They have some really good athletes.

“We only have one film on Prep and they look to 50-50 offensively when it comes to the run and pass. We have a good rapport with both University Prep and Allderdice (Big Red’s Week 8 opponent). That just helps us. If not for them, we probably wouldn’t have a 10-game schedule.”

Prep, which is considered a Division II school by OHSAA standards, finished 2021 with a 3-7 record and fell to Westingthouse 17-0 in the Pittsburgh City League semifinals. Berry welcomed seven offensive starters back this season.

Junior Max Qureshi has taken over at quarterback for Prep. In the opener, he completed six of his 17 passes for 213 yards and two touchdowns. Daniel Cain finished with five receptions. Cain and Qureshi hooked up for a 58-yard score.

Berry’s club had some chances in the contest but couldn’t fight off the penalty bug.

“A lot of our issues stemmed from the offensive side of the ball,” Berry said following the game. “Our operation wasn’t as smooth as we would have liked. We were behind the sticks every series.”

Big Red rode a strong second half performance to its victory over Archbishop Carroll, based in Washington, D.C. Saccoccia’s club actually trailed 8-7 at the half.

“It was an excellent performance by us as far as enthusiasm, aggression and sticking to the game plan are concerned,” Saccoccia said. “We made some mental mistakes but we did not see any mistakes on film that we cannot fix.

“The thing I enjoyed most about that game was the way our players celebrated the successes of other players. That does not happen in high school a lot today but our players were happy for anyone who did something positive when we watched the film.”

Through three games, the Big Red is averaging 23.3 points per outing and 343 yards (187 on the ground and 156 via the air). Steubenville has run 172 offensive plays compared to 129 for its opponents.

Quarterback Phaeton Hill has put together a solid start to his senior season. He completed 32 of his 50 passes for 469 yards and five touchdowns.

Despite not catching a pass in the Archbishop Carroll game, junior Isaac Hill remains Big Red’s leading receiver (11 catches for 151 yards and a pair of scores). Seniors Gavin Bozica and Tylik Sims have four grabs each and both have caught touchdown passes.

Bozica leads the Big Red ground game with 244 yards on 48 carries. He has two rushing touchdowns. Junior Savier Faulks has 145 yards on 20 trips (an average of 7.2 yards a tote). He has one score. Finally, senior Spencer Ostovich has run for 73 yards and two six-pointers.

Defensively, Big Red allows 4.7 points a game and 144 yards (65 rushing and 79 passing). To date, the unit has held the opposition to just 28 first downs. Senior Ivan Buggs has two picks to lead the squad.

“We are progressing,” Saccoccia said about his Big Red. “There are a couple of areas where we need to improve but I think everyone who has played three games is pretty much in the same

boat.

“We have to keep improving and keep working on the areas where we have not been as good as I thought we would be. But that is not due to a lack of hard work. We have to keep working hard and keep improving. This team wants to be coached and they want to be better and that is a good starting point.”

Following the University Prep game, Big Red will face a couple of stiff tests with a home contest against Dover followed by a trip to Wheeling Park. Saccoccia doesn’t really think he has to worry about his squad looking ahead.

“I really feel if you are focused on getting better, it doesn’t matter who you are playing,” he said. “You just want to get better and that is what we are trying to preach right now — get better as a team, as individuals and as coaches.

“As a coach, you have to continue to get better every week. A coach has the same rule as the players — if you don’t get better, you get worse. Whatever I preach to our players about working to improve, I have to preach to myself.”