LOOKING AHEAD — Big Red’s Isaac Hill turns up field after making a catch against Indian Valley in last week’s regional final. Hill and his Big Red teammates face Cincinnati Wyoming Saturday in Columbus with a spot in the state championship game on the line. - Lauren Florence

STEUBENVILLE — The Steubenville Big Red football team will have a major challenge on its hands in Saturday’s Ohio Division IV semifinal bout with unbeaten Cincinnati Wyoming.

Wyoming’s offense is led by senior running back C.J. Hester, a leading candidate for the 2022 Ohio Mr. Football award. Hester is closing in on 3,000 rushing yards for the season and 7,000 for his career. Defensively, the 14-0 Cowboys have allowed just five touchdowns (a total of 35 points). Wyoming is one of seven teams in state history to record 10 shutouts during a season.

Saturday’s kick is set for 7 p.m. at Historic Crew Stadium in Columbus. In the other Division IV semifinal, unbeaten Cleveland Glenville will meet upstart Jefferson Area, which stunned Beloit West Branch in the Region 13 championship game.

“We have to prepare like we do every week,” Big Red coach Reno Saccoccia said. “We have the challenge of competing against an offensive team like we will be facing then turn around on the other side of the ball and compete against a defense that has only given up 35 points all season.

“It’s a great challenge for us. Like I am going to tell our players — challenges come around often in life but very seldom do you have the opportunity to step up to a challenge with a group of guys you like. Most of your challenges after a while come as an individual. This is a great team challenge and nothing is better than having success as a team.”

Hester, a Western Michigan University verbal commit, rushed 25 times for 137 yards including a 59-yard touchdown run as Wyoming blanked Cincinnati Taft 7-0 in the Region 16 title contest.

Hester (5-11, 190) has 2,967 yards rushing and 46 touchdowns this season. Both statistics are on the OHSAA’s record book in the respective categories for a single season.

For his career, Hester has 6,972 yards and 100 rushing touchdowns. He is just the 10th player in Ohio history to rush for at least 100 touchdowns in a career.

“He reminds me of the guy who played for Canton Glen Oak — Brionte Dunn,” Saccoccia said. “He’s not real tall but he is just a class back. He will be a great challenge for our defense.

“Everyone we talked to in that area has nothing but praise for him. But, I am sure if they took the offensive line off the field he wouldn’t get too far. Their line is strong and should get the credit it deserves. The fullback also does a really good job of blocking. Hester is a great back and he is playing on a really good football team.”

Offensively, the Cowboys average 37.7 points a game. They have rushed for 3,852 yards (275 an outing) and have 58 touchdowns on the ground. Hester has toted the pigskin 331 times.

Sophomore Joel Hancock (5-9, 175) is second on the team with 433 yards.

Junior Quaid Hauer (6-2, 215) directs the Wyoming attack. He has completed 58 of his 97 passing attempts for 811 yards and six scores. Senior Jack Randman (6-0, 180) has thrown for 441 yards.

Junior D.J. Gray (5-11, 190) is Wyoming’s leading receiver with 28 receptions for 335 yards and two scores. Will Svendsen has 16 grabs and Matty Mitchell 15.

Key players along the offensive line are seniors A.J. Howard (6-0, 260) and Joel Allen (6-1, 270) along with sophomore Jess Hauer (6-3, 240).

During the regular season, Wyoming earned victories over Harrison, Cincinnati Taft, Cincinnati Aiken, Cincinnati Indian Hill, Reading, Cincinnati Deer Park, Taylor, Cincinnati Mariemont, Cincinnati Finneytown and Cincinnati Madeira.

The Cowboys began their playoff run with a 44-0 thumping of Waverly. They then dusted off Springfield Shawnee 35-0 and Clinton-Massie 40-7 before earning their second victory of the season against Taft.

Allen leads the Wyoming defense with 63 tackles. Linebacker Terence Gragston (5-11, 180) has 58 and Quaid Hauer 54.

Wyoming’s defense delivered the shutout against Taft even though five of Taft’s seven drives either reached or began in Cowboy territory.

“They have size and they have speed,” Saccoccia said of the Wyoming defense. “They have only given up 35 points all year. That is just an amazing stat.

“I’d have to go back to 1930 when Big Red went unbeaten, untied and unscored upon to see a defense like they have.”

Big Red earned its 19th regional championship by thumping Indian Valley 41-7. The Braves entered the Region 15 contest averaging 263 yards a game on the ground. Big Red, now 12-2, held Indian Valley to just 44 rushing yards.

Through 14 games, Steubenville’s defense is allowing 13.4 points an outing, 76 yards on the ground and 117 through the air. The defense has recorded 21 takeaways (eight interceptions and 13 fumble recoveries).

Sophomore defensive back Brody Saccoccia and senior linebacker Kyjhaun Hopkins both have recorded 89 tackles to lead Big Red. Hopkins has five sacks and 14 tackles for a loss.

Senior strong safety Tylik Sims has 80 tackles while junior defensive end Isaac Hill has contributed five sacks and 10 TFLs.

Offensively, the Big Red averages 32.9 points a game. It has rushed for 3,220 yards on 532 carries, an average of 6.1 yards a tote. Big Red has 40 touchdowns on the ground.

Senior Gavin Bozica continues to lead the ground game with 1,088 yards on 177 carries and 11 touchdowns. Junior Savier Faulks, who topped the 100-yard mark against Indian Valley, has 958 yards and nine scores.

Senior quarterback Phaeton Hill has thrown for 2,307 yards and 24 touchdowns. He has completed 162 passes.

His favorite receiver is Isaac Hill, who now has 59 receptions for 981 yards and 14 touchdowns.

Sims has 17 catches and senior Hakim Edwards 16. Junior Lee Anthony Sewell and senior Ivan Buggs have 14 grabs. Phaeton Hill and Buggs combined for two scores in the regional championship contest.

“I expect our team to be happy after winning the regional championship but I don’t expect them to be satisfied,” Saccoccia said. “There is a big difference between being happy and being satisfied.

“It’s a long week, sometimes you can get prepared too early. We just want to give them some little crumbs all week then feed them a big feast on Thursday. On Friday, we will take out what we are not doing well and keep in what we are doing well and that will be our game plan. The most important part of a game plan is execution and I am sure our players will execute the plan to the best of their abilities.”

Wyoming is in the state final four for the eighth time in program history. The Cowboys won championships in 1977 and 2018. They fell in the semifinals in 2019 and 2020. Overall, Wyoming has a playoff record of 36-25.

Big Red sports a 9-9 mark in the state semifinals. Saccoccia guided his team to state titles in 1984, 2005, 2006 and 2017.

Tickets for Saturday’s game must be purchased in advance at www.ohsaa.org/tickets.

The Division IV state championship game will be played on Dec. 3, starting at 7:30 pm. inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton.