Alter blows past Steubenville to reach state title game

Sophomore running back Noah Jones rushed for two first-half touchdowns, and junior quarterback Gavin Connor added both a rushing and passing touchdown as part of a 28-point effort that sent the Knights into the halftime locker room with a massive lead.

The half was marred by a wave of unsportsmanlike conduct penalties on Steubenville that routinely crippled any chances of the Big Red remaining competitive in a game that already represented a steep hill to climb for the four-time state champions.

Steubenville (13-2) rolled into the state semifinal featuring an offense firing on all cylinders, averaging 37 points per game in the playoffs. Awaiting it, though, was an Alter defense on a remarkable run of its own, allowing just nine points total across four playoff games.

That run continued on Friday as Steubenville crossed midfield just one time until late in the fourth quarter when the game was well out of hand. The shutout is the third of the playoffs for the Alter defense and sixth overall this season.

“These kids have played with a chip on their shoulders,” Alter head coach Ed Domsitz said of his defense. “They watched some film a few weeks ago of some of those championship years, and I just raved about those defenses back then. So they’ve had a chip on their shoulder since then to try and get to the point where they’re considered in the same breath as some of those top-flight defenses.”

Alter (12-3) wasted no time jumping all over Steubenville in the first quarter. After forcing a fumble on Steubenville’s opening possession, Connor capped off an eight-play, 25-yard drive with a 1-yard sneak to take a 7-0 lead. After forcing a quick three-and-out on the ensuing possession, the Knights needed just four plays to add to the lead as Jones raced 29 yards to the end zone to increase the advantage to 14-0.

Connor’s 38-yard pass to Carter Sheets late in the first quarter made it 21-0, and the rout was officially on as a stunned Steubenville never recovered.

“You always want that but, most of the time, you don’t get it,” Domsitz said of his team’s fast start. “But when you’re lining up in the state semifinal game, it substantially increases the confidence the kids have that they can play on this level. Steubenville has a record over the years of being one of the top-flight programs not just in Ohio but in the surrounding states, too. So when you can jump on them like that, there was no question our kids were feeling pretty good.”

Jones’ second touchdown of the half increased the Alter lead to 28-0 with 5:08 remaining in the second quarter. The drive was aided by three Steubenville penalties, two of which were personal fouls. Domsitz said he felt the final touchdown of the first half staggered Steubenville if they weren’t already knocked out.

“I thought when we scored that 28th point, that was a gut punch for them,” he said. “It’s very difficult to come back from a three-touchdown deficit, and when we tacked that fourth one on, you have to have a lot of things go right.”

Alter effectively put the game away on the opening drive of the second half, marching 72 yards in nine plays. Rod Owens’ 3-yard TD run made it 35-0.