Poland not satisfied with close defeat

Steubenville defeated the Bulldogs 24-13 in the battle of unbeatens.

By JOE SCALZO

Vindicator Sports Staff

STEUBENVILLE — With his team huddled around him following Friday’s 11-point loss to Steubenville at Harding Stadium, Poland High coach Mark Brungard challenged his players not to be satisfied with a close loss to one of the state’s best programs.

“Remember this feeling,” he yelled following the 24-13 loss. “There are no moral victories in this program. Don’t accept this.

“This program isn’t about playing this team close. It’s about beating them.”

Poland wasn’t quite good enough to do that, but the Bulldogs served notice — both on the field and afterward — that they’re trying to reach Big Red’s level, battling back from a 24-6 deficit to make the game interesting in the final quarter.

“I’d have to think we gained some stuff from playing this game in terms of the atmosphere, playing a playoff-caliber opponent, the speed of the game, and the physicality of the game,” said Brungard. “We can say against anyone we play from now on, ‘You know what? We’ve seen this kind of stuff before. Let’s go out and execute and win the game.’”

Running an offense as versatile as any in Ohio, Steubenville senior QB Dwight Macon completed 10 of 12 passes for 147 yards and two TDs as Big Red (8-0) won its 68th straight regular-season game.

Steubenville was coming off a 13-3 win over Massillon last week and Coach Reno Saccoccia was worried about a possible letdown.

“Good teams after a big win get beat,” he said. “Championship teams after a big win could get beat.

“I don’t know if they’re good, I don’t know if we’re good or what. But both teams gave a championship effort tonight. We got the best of it at the end.”

Poland, which was ranked No. 3 in Division III behind Cardinal Mooney and Steubenville in the Associated Press poll, entered the game having pitched three straight shutouts.

But its 13-quarter shutout streak quickly came to an end as Macon hooked up with Anthony Pierro on a 41-yard flea-flicker on the game’s first play.

Five plays later, JoJo Pierro scored on a 2-yard TD run.

Steubenville scored touchdowns on its first three possessions — the others came on 1-yard run by JoJo Pierro and a 7-yard pass from Macon to Anthony Pierro — to take an 18-6 lead into halftime.

Poland, meanwhile, found some success passing the ball, with sophomore QB Colin Reardon finding dynamic junior WR Darius Patton for eight receptions for 76 yards. Reardon finished 14 of 20 passing for 128 yards and a touchdown, but his lone interception proved costly.

With less than two minutes left in the first half, Reardon had John Price open in the end zone, but the pass was a bit too high, bouncing off Price’s hands and into Macon’s.

Then, midway through the fourth quarter, Poland had the ball at its own 45 trailing by 11, but a 14-yard loss on a botched reverse cost the Bulldogs the chance of making the game close down the stretch.

“I thought their execution was a little better than ours,” said Brungard, whose defensive line hung tough for most of the game despite being decimated by injury.

“Our kids were tough, our kids played hard and they did respond to some adverse times when they were down. But you’ve got to execute better if you’re going to beat a team like that.

“We came down here expecting to win and we didn’t get it done.”

Senior running back Luke Wollet rushed 19 times for 95 yards for the Bulldogs, who entered the game second in the Region 9 computer ratings and are still in good shape for a home playoff berth.

“I think our program is at the point where we feel like, in the state of Ohio, we can play with anybody and we can beat anybody if we play our game,” Brungard said. “This is a great team we played but we’ve got to get better.”

JoJo Pierro had 102 yards on 24 carries for Big Red, which beat the Bulldogs 39-20 in last year’s game at Poland.

“They have a great program,” said Saccoccia. “They do a great job coaching and their kids do a great job playing. They’re tough.

“I’m just sad that we’re not playing any more because it’s a good game for both communities. Both communities are so different. Different in everything but they both have good kids that want to play football.”

scalzo@vindy.com