Big-play Steel Valley overwhelms Apollo-Ridge

By: HSSN Staff
Saturday, October 13, 2018 | 12:00 AM

With only a couple of weeks remaining in the regular season, Steel Valley showed Friday night against Apollo-Ridge it is plenty capable of making splash plays and that it’s rounding into postseason form.

The Class 2A No. 2 Ironmen scored five touchdowns on plays of 40 or more yards en route to a 64-21 win in an Allegheny Conference game at Apollo’s Owens Field.

Steel Valley (6-1, 5-1), the Class 2A runner-up last year, scored 40 or more points for the fourth consecutive week and for the fifth time this season. They racked up more than 500 yards of offense and had strong performances from the backfield duo of Todd Hill and Kameron Williams. Hill had 223 yards on nine carries and four touchdowns, and Williams finished with 121 yards and a touchdown. Both also had a receiving touchdown. Ronnell Lawrence passed for 211 yards and three touchdowns.

Hill had 218 yards at halftime, and his only rush in the second half was a 5-yard touchdown run. Hill also had a 45-yard touchdown reception in the third quarter. He averaged 26 yards per carry.

“Todd deserves everything he gets because he’s a hard worker,” Steel Valley coach Rod Steele said. “He takes the game very serious, and every week he comes out looking to give the maximum effort. I can’t say enough about him. He’s a four-year starter, and he’s played in a lot of big time games.”

Hill made his presence known early, scoring on the third play from scrimmage on a 64-yard run. After Apollo-Ridge scored later in the first on a 15-yard touchdown pass to Klay Fitzroy that cut the lead to 16-7, Hill responded with a 75-yard touchdown run on the next play from scrimmage. He added a 5-yard score in the final minute of the second quarter.

“That (Hill) is a bull in a china shop,” Apollo-Ridge coach John Skiba said. “He’s as good as it gets. (Williams) is a good player, too. They have some good skill guys, and we knew that going in.”

Apollo-Ridge (2-6, 1-5) had several positive moments in the first half, including forcing a pair of turnovers and a 75-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Alex Gamble. Fello had an interception in the end zone that quelled Steel Valley’s second drive, and senior lineman Kent Harkleroad had a fumble pop up into his arms later in the first and rumbled 20 yards across midfield to the Steel Valley 45. The turnover set up Apollo-Ridge’s first touchdown.

“We’re battling,” Skiba said. “I can’t ever say that our kids aren’t working. We went out there with two freshman defensive ends and an all-underclassmen secondary. We battled, and I’m happy with that.”

Fello was injured on a hit after a pass midway through the second quarter and did not return. A roughing-the-passer penalty was called on the play, and Steel Valley lineman Diego Bledsoe was ejected. Fello did not return.

“It was a questionable call, I thought. He was chasing him out of the pocket,” Steele said. “I don’t know about targeting, but it is what it is. We respect the refs and the rules of the game. The next guy had to step up and perform. We have a mixture of veterans and young guys on this team, and we’re just trying to get better each week.”

The Vikings were already without standout running back/linebacker Logan Harmon and lineman Jacob Clark.

Fitzroy stepped in for Fello at quarterback. He finished with 114 yards passing and threw a 14- yard touchdown pass to Keighton Reese in the third quarter.

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer.

Tags: Apollo-Ridge, Steel Valley