Football Xtra

Big Red preps for the Preppers

STEUBENVILLE -- With the program's 23rd consecutive trip to the Ohio playoffs already in hand, Big Red will look to keep improving when it welcomes University School from Cuyahoga County to Harding Stadium Friday for the regular season home finale.

The opening kick for the fourth all-time meeting between the schools is set for 7 p.m. Steubenville will honor its senior players prior to kickoff.

Since dropping its season opener to still unbeaten Youngstown Ursuline, Big Red has reeled off seven straight victories, including a 36-0 blanking of Pittsburgh Taylor Allderdice last week.

Reno Saccoccia's squad is second in the Division IV Region 15 computer and has, according to Joe Eitel, clinched a playoff spot.

The Preppers have strung together five consecutive wins since falling to Geneva in Week 1 and Norton in Week 2. University School owns victories over Bay Village Bay, which is 7-1, Richmond Heights, East Cleveland Shaw, Gilmour Academy and Parma Heights Valley Forge. University School's Week 8 game against Cleveland John Adams was canceled because the Cleveland school did not have enough healthy bodies to compete.

U.S. is seventh in the Division III, Region 9 computer rankings

"Our team faced a great deal of adversity in the first few weeks of the season," said University School coach Ben Malbasa. "Our seniors, however, never lost their focus on improving every day and their love for competing together. From my perspective, it is no accident that this group changed its season when it came back from 170 at the half in the Week 3 win over Bay. It is a testament to this group that it has won three games with fourth quarter drives.

"I am especially excited to bring this team, which clearly ranks among my favorites, to Harding Stadium. As you know, there is no greater place in Ohio for a high school football game and this game offers us a special opportunity to compete against one of the top programs in Ohio and build on our own proud tradition. This is our 134th team-we are the oldest program in the state."

Malbasa's dad, Steve, is a Big Red graduate and his grandfather, also named Ben, served Steubenville as a police officer for many years.

"University School is a good, solid football team," said Saccoccia. "They have plenty of talent and are very well-coached. The thing that impresses me the most is they are much more physical than the last couple of times we have played them.

"We need to adjust to their off-balance stuff. Defensively, we have to zone in on our keys and not let their motion and the other things they do take away from our focus.

"It's great that we have clinched a playoff berth. One of our goals coming into the season was to win enough games so we can get two home games. Right now, however, are focused on University School. We need to play four quarters of solid football to come out victorious."

Big Red was firing on all cylinders against Allderdice, scoring 36 points in the first quarter. Sabron Felton got things going when he returned the game's opening kick 90 yards for a touchdown. Defensive tackle Peyton Gorby found the end zone on a 20-yard interception return. A bad Allderdice snap on a put gave Steubenville a safety. Lee Anthony Sewell hauled in a 40-yard touchdown pass all before the opening quarter was finished.

Big Red's offense racked up 135 of its 220 total yards in the initial 12 minutes. The defense finished with three interceptions and held Allderdice to just 37 yards of offense.

"The thing I liked the most, almost as much as a win, was the way our players supported the guys who played in the second half," Saccoccia said. "It was very positive support and said a lot about our team."

Savier Faulks still ranks as Big Red's top rusher with 640 yards on 109 carries. He has scored 11 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Aydan Manning has thrown 155 passes, completing 99 for 1,258 yards and eight scores. Senior Isaac Hill has a team-high 48 receptions, good for 685 yards. He has registered four touchdowns.

"I am impressed by the development of this year's Big Red team," Malbasa said. "Having watched their games against Ursuline and Linsly, in person, and having studied their film from recent weeks, it is evident how strong this team has become.  Their offensive line executes so well, and their ability to run multiple schemes at such a high level is remarkable.  Their quarterback has emerged as a tremendous threat, and their ability to use their backs and receivers in so many ways makes them a nightmare for opposing coaches to prep.  Obviously, Isaac Hill is force in every aspect of the game - he is an outstanding player, and he complements their strong group of backs very well.

"Defensively, they play drastically different styles with great success.  Against Linsly, they were very aggressive blitzing and playing man coverage, and against Dover, they used zone coverages to slow the passing attack.  They are able to do this because they have an outstanding leader in Brody Saccoccia - he is clearly a great athlete and one of the headiest football players I have seen this year.  They also have standouts at all levels.  Elijah Mullins is quite a play-maker at LB, and Santonio Brown is the best defensive lineman we will see all year."

"Coach Saccoccia emphasizes almost all high school teams have a few standout players, but most games are decided by the guys who make up the middle of the roster. What excites me about our team is the degree to which it proves Coach's argument.

That said, our quarterback, Jackson Boland, is a special young man who does anything it takes to win.  Despite missing considerable time early in the season, Jackson has been a tremendous leader.  In our rivalry game, we put the game on his shoulders, and he carried the ball 27 times for 180 yards and three touchdowns."

Boland, a 6-2, 200 pound senior, has thrown for 468 yards in six games and added 476 rushing yards. He is University School's second leading rusher behind junior Michael Malone, 114 carries for 586 yards and six scores. Senior Darius Forrest also is a ball-carrying threat. Boland's top target is senior Duke Brennan (6-4, 160) who has 22 receptions.

The big guys upfront are led by senior Cameron Beiswenger, 6-4, 265.

"Against a team as strong as Big Red, the keys for us will be protecting the football, working to get their offense off-schedule and protecting our quarterback against one of the most varied blitz packages in high school football," Malbasa said. "What a great challenge and opportunity for us."

As far as Saccoccia goes, the key to victory are pretty simple.

"We have to read our keys and be gap sound," he said. "We have to adjust to their off-balance stuff and their trickery. Offensively, we just have to keep pounding away, protect the football, take advantage of our opportunities and be persistent with what we are doing."

The Big Red seniors to be honored include Manning, Hill, Sewell, Felton, Keith Lewis, Lawson Lewis, Jace Kernahan, Carlo Schiappa, Kellen Lester, Faulks, E. Mullins, Brown, Gorby, Demetrius Leas, Lucas Tarr and Javin Harper.

Steubenville will close its regular season with a trip to Louisville.