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Red-hot Steubenville rolls past struggling Wildcats, 81-31

Steubenville's Zion Sawyer splits Edison's Owen Howell, left, and Ian McBane during Saturday's contest. -Joe Catullo

RICHMOND — The Steubenville boys basketball team has been getting great production from its bench the past few weeks, so it can be easy to forget some of its starters.

Cade Kernahan, Andrew Gresko and Quinn McCoy may have had their minutes cut lately because Chase Zimmerman, Brenton Jones and Ivan Buggs (who has missed the last three games with an ankle injury) have stepped up.

The three starters earned their time Saturday at Edison and helped Big Red roll to an 81-31 victory.

“They’re great seniors and show great leadership. They get after it and play hard,” Steubenville head coach Mike Haney said. “It seems like we have a nice rotation going. We were able to get everybody in (Saturday), and it felt like everyone scored.

“Everybody’s comfortable with their roles and going after it hard. We have three or four good guys coming off the bench to give us nine players.”

Kernahan scored 10 points Saturday. Gresko had six points and McCoy two. Despite the combined 18 points, they also had big roles on the boards and defensive side.

Everyone contributed for Big Red (7-3) during its fourth straight win. Jones led all scorers with 14 points. Zion Sawyer nailed four 3-pointers, Mike Rook and Nasari Jackson evenly divided a dozen points. Every Steubenville player, including the jayvee squad, scored at least two points.

“The guys came in focused and ready to go from the start,” Haney said. “We pressed on them for a little bit on defense. We took care of the basketball. The key for us is not turning it over. When we don’t turn it over, it seems like our shots go in more.”

As for the Wildcats (1-3), it concluded a rough week chock-full of quality opponents (faced St. Clairsville Tuesday and East Liverpool Friday). And, every game was a blowout.

“The message after (Saturday) hasn’t changed. The message is that’s where we want to be,” Edison head coach Nate Moses said. “Playing these teams, this what we were able to do in the past. We have been successful against teams like that, but this needs to be a wake-up call to all of us that we’re not where we need to be. 

“Right now, we’re not there, and we understand that. The only way we’re going to get there is with hard work.”

Granted, Saturday was the Wildcats’ fourth game after prolonged quarantines. They bested Toronto on Dec. 31 before losing three straight contests.

“That train has already left the station,” Moses said. “We’re not using that excuse anymore. We’ve been back for two weeks now. It’s time to take the training wheels off and get better at basketball.”

Brayden Moses led Edison with nine points. Grady Board had six points, while Kaden Miller and Gage Cline evenly divided 10.

BRIGHT FUTURE AHEAD

Edison announced Thursday the hiring of Mike Collopy as the next head football coach. Moses was beyond excited to see his friend get the gig. He and Collopy have been with the Wildcats for the last 20-plus years.

“I think it’s a great hire by the district. As a whole, it’s a step in the right direction,” Moses said. “I think it’s going to help us as a basketball team and all of the boys in sports. Mike and I have coached baseball and football together. Way back in the day, we coached junior high together. I’m really excited and happy for Mike, and I know he’s going to do a great job.

“Any time the score is where it has been, it’s tough to see improvement. But, there are some aspects that I think we are doing better in. We need to get back to the drawing board, and that starts with me.”

JV ACTION

Big Red also won the jayvee contest, 50-10. Lawrence Lewis paced Steubenville with 12 points. Edison’s Luke Grimes had four.

UP NEXT

Steubenville: Tentatively travels to St. Clairsville on Tuesday.

“I scouted them Friday. They didn’t shoot the ball well. All that means is when we play them, they’ll shoot the ball lights out,” Haney said laughing. “We have to defend and should get Buggs back by that time.”

Edison: Tentatively travels Buckeye Local on Tuesday.

Steubenville 81, Edison 31

Steubenville 21 18 25 17 — 81

Edison       8  9  8  6 — 31

STEUBENVILLE (7-3): Kernahan 5 0-0 10; Sawyer 4 0-1 12; Jackson 3 0-2 6; Gresko 2 2-2 6; Rook 2 0-0 6; Zimmerman 2 0-0 4; Hill 1 1-3 3; Hopkins 1 1-2 3; Jones 6 2-4 14; Thompson 2 0-0 5; McCoy 1 0-0 2; Feaster 2 0-0 8; Drakes 1 0-0 2. TOTALS: 33, 6-13: 81.

EDISON (1-3): Lancaster 1 0-0 3; McBane 0 0-0 0; Miller 2 1-2 5; Howell 0 0-0 0; Wedlake 1 0-0 3; Moses 3 1-2 9; Cline 1 3-4 5; Board 2 0-0 6; Dinger 0 0-0 0; Coil 0 0-0 0. TOTALS: 10, 5-8: 31.

3-POINT GOALS: Steubenville 9 (Sawyer 4, Rook 2, Thompson, Feaster 2); Edison 6 (Lancaster, Wedlake, Moses 2, Board 2).

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