It’s playoff time at Big Red
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STEUBENVILLE -- Carrollton makes no bones about it -- the Warriors like to run the football. Through 10 games, Big Red's defense has been pretty solid when it comes to controlling the rushing attack of opponents.
So, something will have to give when the teams square off Friday in a Division IV, Region 15 first round playoff game. The opening kick for the initial meeting between the schools is set for 7 p.m. inside Harding Stadium.
The 15th-seeded Warriors posted a 7-3 record for the third year in a row. Carrollton has defeated Akron Manchester, Philo, St. Thomas Aquinas, Akron Kenmore-Garfield, Marlington, Salem and Minerva. The Warriors have fallen to Alliance, West Branch and Garaway.
Big Red, which earned the region's second seed, is 8-2 following its Week 10 loss to Rock Creek Christian Academy.
Carrollton is guided by fourth-year coach Jim Tsilimos. He previously coached at Lisbon and led the Blue Devils to an Ohio Division V championship in 1995.
"This is the third year in a row we have gone 7-3," he said earlier this week. "My first year here we went 2-8 and at one point, we were 0-8. We're 7-3 again and we get to travel down the road to Steubenville for our playoff opener.
"We line up and we are going to run the football. We hope to get some play action off the run similar to what Steubenville does. We will be in more two tights than Steubenville likes to use. We do want to run it."
Carrollton, which averages 33.2 points a game, ran the ball 416 times during the regular season, gaining 2,947 yards and compiling 41 rushing touchdowns. The Warriors have thrown just 54 passes, completing 16 for 346 yards. Defensively, the Warriors surrender an average of 22 points per outing, 128 yards on the ground and 173 through the air.
"Carrollton definitely is a team that likes to run the football," Big Red coach Reno Saccoccia said. "They play a real physical brand of football both offensively and defensively. They look pretty talented up front.
"Their tailback (Chase Oehlstrom) is really impressive. He is quick, has nice feet, knows how to run and knows how to run with his eyes. He is the leading rusher in the history of the school and that has to mean something."
Oehlstrom, a 5-9, 170-pound senior, is a three year starter for the Warriors. He was a first team all-Ohioan as a junior and has rushed for 5,327 yards, a school record. This season, he has logged 234 carries for 1,865 yards and 23 touchdowns. A year ago, he racked up 2,231 yards and found the end zone 21 times.
"He's done a nice job for us," said Tsilimos. "Of course, our offensive line has done a nice job also. We're going to have to grind it out Friday and hopefully keep their offense off the field some.
"Oehlstrom is a good runner and I hope we can block for him. To do that, we'll need to create some holes first. We'll definitely have a challenge because their defensive front is very good."
The Carrollton offensive line is led by the likes of senior Chance Riggenback (6-4, 285) and sophomore Landyn Jackson (6-2, 260). Senior tight end Lawson Irwin (6-1, 200) also contributes up front and serves as Carrollton's kicker and punter.
Senior Cadyn Smith (6-4, 190) starts at quarterback for the Warriors.
"They do a nice job defensively," Saccoccia said. "They have played against a lot of spread teams this season but they have gone toe-to-toe with the running teams they have faced."
Defensively, Big Red is holding its opponents to just 71.4 rushing yards per game. The unit allows 14.6 points a game and 137 passing yards.
Senior linebacker Kyjhaun Hopkins finished the regular season as Big Red's leading tackler. He recorded 80 with 12 tackles for a loss and five sacks. Senior Tylik Sims has 69 with 3 TFLs and four sacks. Fellow senior Hakim Edwards was in on 52 tackles, getting 5 TFLs and also four sacks.
Upfront, senior defensive end Spenser Ostovich recorded 48 tackles, 11 TFLs and five sacks while junior end Isaac Hill had 32 with 12 TFLs and five sacks.
Senior Ivan Buggs leads the team with four interceptions.
Offensively, the Big Red averages 31.5 points per game and 392 yards (223 rushing and 169 passing).
Senior quarterback Phaeton Hill has completed 118 of his 205 passes for 1,662 yards and 18 touchdowns. He has a quarterback rating of 102.1.
His favorite receiver is I. Hill, who has 44 receptions for 780 yards and 11 scores. Senior Gavin Bozica leads the ground attack with 902 yards on 139 carries and 10 scores. He is averaging 6.4 yards a tote.
"They are so well-coached and they have athletes all over the place," Tsilimos said when discussing the Big Red. "They can line up and power you or they can line up and spread you out--make you defend the whole field.
"Their quarterback (P. Hill) is very athletic, has good size and throws a good ball. Plus he can run and he kind of makes them go offensively. Their offensive and defensive lines are just so well coached. We definitely will be tested Friday. I think they are the best team we have seen so far, at least on film.
"Defensively, we must be able to recognize the number of formations they will throw at us. We have to be able to play power against power football and we have to prepare for the spread look and defend the while field. If we maybe can get a couple of stops or maybe get a turnover or two--you just never know. We definitely have to control the ball and help our defense."
Saccoccia said his Big Red will "have to play a clean game, eliminate penalties which I thought we did last week, take advantage of any opportunities we get and play 48 minutes of football."
"I just hope our practice mentality transfers over to the game on Friday," he continued. "Our players have been giving us a good, full year of practice. If our attitude and effort transfer to Friday, I will be happy regardless of the outcome."
Carrollton is making its fifth trip to the post-season and sports a record of 4-4.
Big Red, on the other hand, reached the playoffs for the 22nd consecutive year. This will be the program's 35th all-time appearance in the post-season. Big Red is 69-30 overall, had won four state championships and finished second five times.
"I think up until 2020, it was an honor to make it but since then, it's almost like everyone makes it," Saccoccia said of his program's playoff history. "So the accomplishment isn't as satisfying as it was. We've gone from two to four to eight to now 16 teams. Now, everyone is fighting for placement in the playoffs.
"The playoffs are what football is all about in Ohio now. Your preseason work has to be focused on having a season good enough that you can earn a home game. If you come up short then you are on the road. Our goal was to play well enough to get a home game for our seniors and we were able to accomplish that goal. Now we have reset our goal. We just have to be prepared to work as hard as we can every day in order to extend our season."
Tickets for Friday's game must be purchased in advance at www.ohsaa.org/tickets.