STEUBENVILLE — The Big Red girls’ basketball team keeps rolling along.

Big Red scored first and led by as many as 20 points in the fourth quarter as Big Red led wire to wire en route to a 51-36 victory against Warren Friday night at the Crimson Center.

“We played through contact,” Big Red (14-1) head coach Angela Forte said. “We played well together. There was a stretch where we did not knock down any shots, but we did what we had to do defensively to maintain the lead. We used our defense to keep the lead.”

The hosts raced to a 7-2 lead before Bailee Beall drained her second 3-pointer of the first to build a 15-6 advantage with 3:19 left to play in the quarter. Big Red extended its advantage out to 22-10 early in the no a 3-point play by Nyla McShan with 6:48 remaining in the first half.

The victors led by 20 (40-20) in the third and 20 (45-25) in the fourth.

“We scrimmaged them early on in the preseason,” Forte said about the Warriors. “They are a good program. Due to changes in the schedule, we both needed a game, and we were excited that we were able to match up. They’re dealing with some injuries on their end. They have some key players out. That was definitely a factor in the spread. They are well coached. They play hard from beginning to end. They’re aggressive. They’re physical. We were definitely looking forward to this matchup.”

McShan — one of four players to score in the game for the Red-and-Black — contributed a game-high 28 points, Lucy Saccoccia collected 14 and Beall tallied six on her two 3s.

Jayda Murray delivered a team-high 12 points for the girls from Washington County, while DeLaney Gates produced nine and Josie Venham ended up with seven.

“One of their key players was out,” Forte said. “They gave a similar look to what they showed in the scrimmage, but when you have one of your key players out, you have to make your adjustments. They executed. They did what they were supposed to do. They like to apply pressure, and they applied pressure. Sometimes, you’re shots just aren’t falling. It is different when you rely on a girl to score and she is not playing. They showed what they normally do.”

Following Beall’s second 3, the visitors scored the next four points before McShan netted a pair of shots from the free-throw line to give the girls in white a 17-10 lead at the end of the first.

The pace remained fast in the second, however, both teams struggled to score. A 3-pointer by Gates pulled the girls in blue to within 23-15 before Big Red delivered the final basket of the quarter to take a 25-15 lead into the locker room at halftime.

The locals led 30-20 in the third before they scored the next 10 points to extend their advantage out to 40-20 on a basket by Saccoccia. The victors led 41-25 entering the fourth.

Big Red scored the first four points of the fourth to regain a 20-point advantage.

“We finally started to knock down some shots,” Forte said. “Nyla went to the line and hit some free throws. It is nice when you are able to use different things to score. It helps when you are able to get to the line. That helped extend the lead.”

After falling behind 20 once again, Warren countered with a 9-0 spurt to pull within 45-34 with 2:36 left in the game, however, Big Red’s starters reentered the game, and they were able to put the game away.

“We’re down a player as well,” Forte said. “We played some younger kids to give the other girls a break. We were able to hold onto the lead. We finished the game with our starters in the lineup. We wanted to make sure we were able to finish the game off.”

Big Red is scheduled to play Jefferson County rival Indian Creek Monday night on the road at Coach D Court.

“It is a big game,” Forte said. “We go out to Indian Creek. They play really hard. They are well coached. They go hard. They get after it. It is always a battle whenever we play. It’s like the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Cleveland Browns. We’re rivals.”

The Redskins are going through a tough time due to boys’ basketball head coach, athletic director and teacher Joe Dunlevy being in the hospital after suffering a medical issue during a game.

“As an athletic program and as a school, we stand with them in prayer and in positive thoughts,” Forte said. “It’s tough what they are having to go through, and we wish nothing but the best for Coach D and his family. They are going to play hard for him.”

Warren is slated to play Belpre Monday night on the road.

Big Red 51, Warren 36

Warren 10 5 10 11 – 36

Big Red 17 8 13 10 – 51

WARREN (7-6): Nichols 0 0-0 0, Venham 3 1-2 7, De. Gates 4 0-2 9, Murray 4 4-6 12, Arnold 2 0-0 4, Huffman 1 0-0 2, Da. Gates 0 2-6 2 TOTALS: 14 7-16 36.

BIG RED (14-1): Bowers 0 0-0 0, Saccoccia 6 2-2 14, Fleming 1 1-2 3, Thompson 0 0-0 0, Younce 0 0-0 0, McShan 9 10-15 28, Beall 2 0-0 6. TOTALS: 18 13-19 51.

3-POINTERS: Warren 1 (De. Gates); Big Red 2 (Beall 2)