MASSILLON, Ohio — Charles Reeves is one of the most highly regarded tight ends in the nation, but the Steubenville senior’s biggest contribution Friday came on defense.
The 6-foot-5, 265-pound Reeves, who doubles as a defensive end, forced a fumble that was returned 88 yards for a touchdown late in the first half and Big Red rode the momentum to a 29-15 win over Shelby in the Division IV, Region 15 championship game at Paul Brown Tiger Stadium.
Second-seeded Steubenville (12-1) won its fourth consecutive regional crown and will play Region 13 champ Perry in the state semifinals. Perry beat Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin 22-9 in Mentor on Friday.
The Whippets (11-2) were driving for a potential go-ahead touchdown with time winding down in the second quarter when Reeves changed the complexion of the game. On first-and-goal from the Steubenville 10, Shelby quarterback Brennan Armstrong was flushed from the pocket and as he prepared to throw, Reeves hit him from behind. The ball squirted loose and Big Red safety Johnny Agresta plucked it out of the air and raced untouched down the sideline for the score. A two-point conversion pass from Gino Pierro to Mitchell Gulan gave Steubenville a 15-7 lead just 13 seconds before halftime.
“I felt the pressure off the edge and stepped up in the pocket,” Armstrong said. “When I stepped up I thought I had a little bit more time. As soon as I got ready to throw I got hit and the ball came out.
“That was a big play for them. We had them on their heels and that gave them the momentum.”
Big Play, Part Two: The Whippets drove deep into Big Red territory late in the third quarter but on fourth-and-eight from the Steubenville nine yard line, Armstrong was thrown for a six-yard loss. On the first play of Big Red’s ensuing drive, quarterback Javon Davis found Alec Taylor streaking down the sideline for an 85 yard touchdown and a 22-7 lead with 2:02 to play in the third.
Not Without a Fight: Shelby responded immediately when Armstrong scored on a 2 yard run on the first play of the fourth quarter. The left-hander then hooked up with Uriah Gieseler for the two-point conversion pass to cut Steubenville’s lead to 22-15.
Shelby linebacker Ty Hoffman recovered a Big Red fumble inside the Shelby 10 with 8:58 remaining in the fourth, giving the Whippets life. The momentum was short-lived, however, as Gieseler was stripped of the ball after a first-down reception. The ball was recovered by Steubenville’s Jalen McGhee and when Jacob Bernard plowed into the end zone from 1 yard out with 3:42 remaining, Big Red led led 29-14.
“The turnovers we had were killers,” Shelby coach Erik Will said. “What I was proud of is, when they went up 22-7, we continued to fight. I was really happy with the resolve.”
Stuffing the Run: Shelby running back Shorty Brooks, who came in with 2,236 yards, was limited to nine yards and eight carries.
“Our calling card all year has been our offensive line but it was very well known early on they were going to load that box and not let Shorty run,” Will said. “We were having success other ways, but … we weren’t going to try to fit a square peg in a round hole.”
Armstrong rushed for 110 yards on 32 carries and completed 18 of 27 passes for 253 yards, including a 12 yard touchdown pass to Gieseler midway through the second quarter.
Brooks caught six passes for 55 yards, while Gieseler had five receptions for 86 yards. Brady Hill had four catches for 37 yards and Hunter Egner had three grabs for 75 yards.
Restoring the Pride: Shelby’s 10-man senior class won more games this fall than in their first three years combined (8-22).
“I’m just so glad we turned this program around,” said Egner, one of Shelby’s senior. “Looking back to where we were as freshmen, it feels great.”
