Steel Valley hangs on for 1st win despite giving Valley four turnovers

By: Matt Vandriak
Friday, September 20, 2019 | 11:07 PM

Despite four turnovers, Steel Valley was able to hold off Valley for its first win of the season, 19-7 at Campbell Field in Munhall.

Coming into the game, Steel Valley was averaging just 2 points per game, tied for the lowest total in the WPIAL. The Ironmen had lost as many games this season as they had lost from 2016-18 combined (three), when they went to three straight WPIAL Class 2A championships and won titles in 2016 and ’18.

But Steel Valley brought back only players from last season.

“We got a lot of inexperienced players. We got a lot of new players, so we’ve been trying to find ourselves” Steel Valley coach Ray Brazso said.

The Ironmen wasted little time getting on the scoreboard. NiJhay Burt returned the opening kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown. Later in the opening quarter, Steel Valley turned the ball over for the first time, and Elijah Hooper recovered a fumble at midfield. The Vikings, however, went three-and-out and punted.

The Ironmen doubled their lead with 6:16 left in in second quarter, as Ronnell Lawrence scored on a 1-yard run to put Steel Valley up 12-0. The touchdown was set up on a 27-yard run by DeShawn Livingston, who had two runs of 20-plus yards on the drive.

On the ensuing possession, a 36-yard run by Valley’s Hooper set the Vikings up inside the Steel Valley 20. But the Vikings offense stalled, and Valley tried a 35-yard field goal, which was blocked. Valley finally broke through with 1:15 left in the first half, as Cayden Quinn connected with Vaun Ross on a 23-yard touchdown pass, making the score 12-7. Ross set up the scoring play with a 20-yard run on the previous play.

In the third quarter, Valley was gifted another opportunity when Zaire Warren recovered a fumbled punt at the Steel Valley 32 with 9:30 left, but the Vikings turned the ball over on downs. Later in the quarter, Ricardo Simmons recovered another fumble at the Steel Valley 44, but the Vikings gave the ball back when Burt picked off a Quinn pass at the Steel Valley 10-yard line on third-and-6 from the Ironmen 35.

Valley’s best scoring opportunity came in the fourth quarter off of another turnover. This time, Ross intercepted a Lawrence pass at the Valley 13-yard line and returned it 57-yards to the Steel Valley 30. But a fumble on first down cost the Vikings 14-yards and resulted in a punt. Burt would return the punt 80-yards for a touchdown, putting the Ironmen ahead 19-7 and rounding out the scoring.

Even with the win, Braszo said there’s still a lot of room for improvement.

“We just need to keep playing better,” he said. “We’re making too many mistakes. We’ve given the other teams we’ve played too many opportunities.”

Valley coach Muzzy Colosimo wasn’t discouraged, despite his team coming up short.

“They’re working hard, and we’re building for the future,” he said. “It’s nice dealing with this group. There’s no quit, and they stick together. That’s how you build a team atmosphere.”

With the victory, Steel Valley (1-3, 1-3) defeated Valley (1-4, 0-3) for the fourth consecutive season. Both teams will step out of the Allegheny Conference next week for nonsection games: Steel Valley will host South Allegheny, and Valley hosts Freedom.

Check out an archived broadcast of this game on the TribLive High School Sports Network.

Matt Vandriak is a contributing writer.

Tags: Steel Valley, Valley