Big Red’s run starts at home
Big Red in the playoffs for a 24th-straight year

PLAYOFF TIME — Big Red took the field at Harding Stadium last Friday to end the regular season and will do so again this Friday to start the playoffs, hosting Delaware Licking Valley in the Division III, Region 11 postseason. - Andrew Grimm
STEUBENVILLE — For the 37th time in the 44 years Ohio has used the playoff format and the 24th-straight season, Big Red is preparing for a playoff game.
Steubenville, which finished second in Division III, Region 11, will open what is one of the longest playoff streaks in the state on Friday night when it hosts Delaware Buckeye Valley, the No. 15 seed, in the opening round at Harding Stadium.
“Everybody is 0-0 now,” Big Red head coach Reno Saccoccia said. “There are 700 schools in Ohio and each of them starts in two-a-days with the same goal, they all want to get to the playoffs. Once you get to the playoffs you reset your goals and we have reset our goals, hopefully we get the same amount of effort and focus that we’ve been getting for the last four weeks.
“Their preparation and effort has been outstanding and they have carried that onto the field. Hopefully they continue to do that.”
Steubenville finished its regular season 10-0 for the first time since 2017, though the state only factored nine of those wins into the computer point calculations leaving out the win over Huron Heights, Ontario, Canada.
During its storied postseason history, Big Red has an overall playoff record of 77-32. They went to the state semifinals in each of the last two seasons while in Division IV.
On the flip side, the Barons’ playoff history is all recent, with all three of the programs’ playoff appearances coming in the last four years. It is the third-straight playoff appearance for Buckeye Valley, who is looking for the program’s first playoff victory.
The Barons, who went 6-4, have wins over Heath, Pataskala Licking Heights, Columbus Hamilton Township, Columbus Bexley, Columbus St. Charles and Whitehall-Yearling. Their losses are to Delaware Hayes, Caledonia River Valley, Columbus Bishop Ready and Gahanna Columbus Academy.
Those losses are against teams with a combined record of 27-13, including a Division I opponent.
The Barons average 23.5 points for and allow an average of 20.7 points per game.
“We’ve viewed quite a bit of film on Buckeye Valley and I can tell you one thing, they are a very steady football team,” Saccoccia said. “They’re fundamentally sound, their offensive is sound and defensively they mix it up between even and odd, some games they blitz and some games they don’t.
“They’re a versatile team, they’ve played a competitive schedule and they’re well-balanced and well-coached. If they got a couple different breaks throughout the year, they could be 8-2.”
For its part, Big Red is averaging 36.5 points per game and allowing just 15.8. Big Red has scored 120 points in the second quarter, pulling away to end the first half in several of its victories, including last week’s over Long Island Lutheran.
The fourth quarter has also been a strength, with an average of 10 points per fourth quarter.
Senior QB Aiden Davis has over 1,500 passing yards and 21 total touchdowns, Jalen Minniefield has eight rushing scores and Brody Saccoccia, the reigning East District defensive player of the year, has been impactful on both sides of the ball with five receiving scores and three interceptions on defense.
The winner of Friday’s game will take on the winner of No. 7 Athens and No. 10 Linden-McKinley in round two. Those teams also square off on Friday night. If Big Red is victorious, the second round game would also be at home at Harding Stadium.
Fans are reminded that ticketing for the playoffs is handled by the OHSAA and tickets can be purchased in advance at ohsaa.org/tickets.
Tickets can also be purchased at the window at the stadium on game day with cash only.
Season ticket cards will not get attendees into the game, but will allow them to sit in their season ticket seat.
Tickets are $11 for adults and $5 for students.
The opening kick Friday night is set for 7 p.m.