Athens’ (10-2) season ended after losing to Steubenville (12-0) in a final score of 35-14 in week 12 of the 2024 OHSAA Division III Region 11 football playoffs. The last time the Bulldogs faced the Big Reds was when Joe Burrow still dawned a Bulldogs jersey and helmet.
Ten years later, the Bulldogs traveled to the City of Murals with a far different outcome than what Burrow’s team did against the Big Reds in 2014.
On a chilly November evening with a large fan attendance at Harding Stadium, Steubenville wasted not two minutes in the first quarter to get on the scoreboard with a short run into the endzone by the Big Reds’ senior quarterback Aiden Davis.
A successful PAT from junior kicker Cole Bowers made it 7-0 Big Reds with 10:44 left in the first. After receiving possession, the Bulldogs gained some yardage, but the suffocating defensive efforts from linebackers Kyleigh Hopkins and Landon Crosier.
Problems arose for Athens with not one, not two, but three consecutive false starts that finally resulted in Athens’ junior quarterback Daniel Heightland getting sacked by, once again, Hopkins and Crosier.
In the second quarter, the Bulldogs still had ball possession, and they looked to push forward on a fourth down. However, Heightland was sacked again, resulting in Athens turning the ball over on downs.
With possession back, Davis threw an incredible 65-yard pass to sophomore Ziare Scurry and was only a few yards away from scoring again. In three plays that covered 81 yards, junior center Ca’Juan Bryant scored for the home team to make it 14-0 Steubenville.
In the remaining 4:31 of the first half, the Big Reds seized their third chance at tallying up a third touchdown with Jalen Minniefield walking five yards in the endzone without a Bulldog near to tackle him. A third good PAT from Bowers made its 21-0 Big Reds going into halftime.
In the third, the Bulldogs got a stellar defensive stop with a recovery of a fumble committed by Steubenville’s Scurry. However, that didn’t prove to be the game changer for Athens.
Instead, the Big Reds prevented the Bulldogs from getting any more first downs, forced them to punt, and in four plays Steubenville scored a fourth time with a pass from Davis to junior tight end Nolan Blackburn for a 30-yard rushing touchdown.
The Big Reds would score a final time nearing the end of the fourth quarter. It began with a long and beautiful pass from Davis to Blackburn resulting in a first-and-goal opportunity, and to finish it off was Minniefield easing his way through Athens’ defense and stepping into the endzone.
Bowers ended the contest with five perfect PATs that made the final score for Steubenville 35-0. But, the Bulldogs managed to score two touchdowns with the time they had in the fourth.
The first came from senior running back Alex Pero and the second, with two minutes left, came from a pass from Heightland to senior wide receiver Leo Martin in the endzone.
Athens’ junior kicker Griffin Porter’s two PATs were both successful, which led to the final score being 35-14 Big Reds, ending the Bulldogs’ season.
