Big-play offense, series of 4th-down stops lift Westinghouse past Steel Valley

By: Antonio Rossetti
Saturday, August 23, 2025 | 8:39 PM

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Sparked by 122 yards on 13 carries from Dameon Hill, including an 80-yard touchdown run, Westinghouse defeated Steel Valley, 22-12, on Saturday at the Wolverena.

Hill also tallied a 34-yard touchdown on a screen pass from Zahir Ismaeli.

“It felt amazing,” Hill said. “Prior to the game, I said I was going to go for 120-plus and I accomplished my goal.”

Hill applauded his offensive line.

“Every block was set up perfectly,” Hill said. “In-out, in-out, every gap opened.”

When Hill hit the gap, he was gone. When he breaks loose, who is catching Hill?

“Nobody,” Hill said. “Period.”

Defensive standout Josiah Collins, who has DivisionI offers from Akron, Temple, Miami (Ohio) and Maine, said the line is well prepared by going against the Westinghouse D-line in practice.

“We always say, ‘You’re never going to see anybody better in the game,’ and we just get them better and mold them into the O-line,” Collins said. “We made an emphasis on playing with grit this year, and that’s exactly how they came out.”

Westinghouse came up clutch when it mattered the most. The Bulldogs forced five turnovers on downs with every stop coming in their own territory.

“It’s just a testament to the work we put in,” Collins said. “We pride ourselves on being a team who comes out and makes plays for our team. It’s just a good thing to come out here in our first game of the year and play like that.”

Collins noted how much energy their defense brings.

“We always say that there’s no free rides on the Bulldog bus,” Collins said. “You got to bring energy every day at practice and during everything. It’s who we are. We never fake it, so energy is a big part of us. Without that, you can’t be a Bulldog.”

Daejour Pinckney and Collins combined for seven tackles for losses.

“A key word we’ve been using is ‘finish,’” Pinckney said. “Being able to finish and get off the field was just the main important thing. Our offense had to get the ball back, and that’s all we cared about.”

Pinckney added that they pride themselves on playing a complete game with a good overall team effort.

“Iron sharpens iron,” Pinckney said. “We got a young team, so everybody’s going to get better day by day, and we’re going to be able to push each other and do better. When it comes to being on the line, defense or offensive side of the ball, we’re going to be able to carry this team because we know how hard we work.”

Despite the defensive success in the clutch, all five fourth-down stops came on drives where Da’Ron Barksdale powered his way into Bulldog territory. He finished with 158 yards on 27 carries and a touchdown. He also completed 6 of 9 passes for 106 yards and a touchdown.

Nevertheless, Westinghouse did enough and capitalized after the turnovers.

Key players for the Bulldogs on offense were Ismaeli, who completed 8 of 10 passes for 88 yards and a touchdown, and K-Shawn Hawkins, who had a 78-yard touchdown run that put them up 14-0 in the second quarter.

Steel Valley’s lead receiver was Tyrell Breland, who caught four passes for 70 yards.

The Ironmen manufactured a six-minute drive with Barksdale leading the way to the Bulldog red zone to start the game.

Collins and the Westinghouse defense stuffed the Ironmen, forcing a turnover on downs.

After catching a first-down pass on a comeback route, Jaylen Stanford fumbled the football and Steel Valley’s Jvon Barlow picked it up at the Ironman 30.

Then the Bulldogs forced a second fourth-down stop.

The Bulldogs, faced with a fourth down of their own, went to punt but a bad snap over Pinckney’s head spelled trouble. Nevertheless, a costly facemask penalty caused a re-punt.

This led to a muffed punt and Westinghouse’s Omar Pack recovering the ball.

They capitalized with a Ismaeli 34-yard touchdown pass to Hill to go up 6-0 halfway through the second quarter.

The Bulldogs got a late second-quarter score when Hawkins took a read option quarterback keeper 78 yards to the house. Pack ran it in for two, giving them a 14-0 lead going into halftime.

The Bulldogs ended a long Steel Valley drive halfway through the second quarter on a third fourth-down stop. Despite a monster game from Barksdale, the Ironman line could not counter the Bulldogs.

Steel Valley entered Bulldog territory yet again. For the fourth time, Westinghouse scored yet another stop.

Hill then broke it open, rushing through a hole and then out ran everyone for an 80-yard touchdown. Ismaeli ran it in for two to take a 22-0 lead.

The Ironmen ended the shutout on a Barksdale 29-yard touchdown pass to Torian Barnett, making it 22-6.

The Ironmen then recovered an onside kick. The Bulldogs got a fifth fourth-down stop on a fourth-and-15.

Barksdale ran in a 13-yard touchdown as time expired, making it 22-12.

Westinghouse has big plans this year.

“We want a state run,” Hill said. “That’s the goal and that’s our mindset every day.”

Tags: Steel Valley, Westinghouse