Football Game Preview: Steel Valley Ironmen vs. Ligonier Valley Rams

The Steel Valley Ironmen will face off against the Ligonier Valley Rams at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Steel Valley will be strutting in after a victory while Ligonier Valley will be coming in after a defeat.

On Saturday, Steel Valley humbled Our Lady of the Sacred Heart with a 38-6 victory. The result was nothing new for the Ironmen, who have now won four contests by 32 points or more so far this season.

Da`Ron Barksdale was his usual excellent self, rushing for 126 yards and one TD on only 14 carries. His longest rush was for an incredible 77 yards.

Da`Ron Barksdale

Rushing Yards

10/11/25 @ Our Lady of the Sacred Heart	126
10/03/25 @ Apollo Ridge	120
09/26/25 vs Shady Side Academy	139
09/19/25 @ Waynesburg Central	160
09/12/25 vs South Park	167
+ 3 more games

Steel Valley didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off three passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Barksdale and Ashad Dye. Barksdale is also crushing it when it comes to rushing yards: he's rushed for at least 109 every time he's taken the field this season. He got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.

Meanwhile, Ligonier Valley came up short against South Park on Friday, falling 42-21.

Steel Valley is on a roll lately: they've won four of their last five games. That's provided a nice bump to their 5-3 record this season. The wins came thanks in part to their offensive performance across that stretch, as they averaged 36.8 points over those games. As for Ligonier Valley, their loss dropped their record down to 1-7.

Friday's matchup might be decided on the ground. Steel Valley has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 169.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Ligonier Valley struggles in that department as they've been averaging 172.9 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's contest turns into a tough fight on the ground.

Everything came up roses for Steel Valley against Ligonier Valley in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the team secured a 53-7 victory. In that game, the Ironmen amassed a halftime lead of 47-7, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.