vs
| 10/04/24 - Home | 55-10 W |
| 09/29/23 - Away | 49-17 W |
| 09/30/22 - Home | 42-7 W |
| 10/22/21 - Away | 57-6 W |
| 10/23/20 - Home | 14-47 L |
| + 2 more games |
Steel Valley has gone 6-1 against Apollo Ridge recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Ironmen are taking a road trip to take on the Vikings at 7:00 p.m. One thing working in Steel Valley's favor is that they have posted at least 31 points in their last three matchups.
Steel Valley is headed into the game after thoroughly thrashing Shady Side Academy: they outscored them in every quarter. Given that consistent dominance, it should come as no surprise that the Ironmen blew the Bulldogs out of the water with a 42-6 final score. The contest was pretty much decided by the half, when the score had already reached 21-0.
Da`Ron Barksdale produced another solid effort rushing for 139 yards and two touchdowns while picking up 7.3 yards per carry, and also picking up 51 receiving yards and one TD.incredibly, Barksdale got all that yardage with just one huge grab Jayvon Roberts was in the mix as well, providing Steel Valley with one score.
Special teams also played a big role in the game for Steel Valley, adding 12 points to the final score. The biggest highlight from special teams (and perhaps the team as a whole) came courtesy of J'Von Barlow, who ran a punt back for a touchdown.
Meanwhile, Apollo Ridge waltzed into their matchup on Saturday with two straight wins... but they left with three. They strolled past the Chargers with points to spare, taking the game 27-12.
Apollo Ridge didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Alex Clawson and Preston Clemens. Clemens got in on the action too, converting a pick into a touchdown.
Steel Valley's victory bumped their record up to 4-2. As for Apollo Ridge, their win bumped their record up to an identical 4-2.
Friday's game might be decided on the ground. Steel Valley has been excellent on the ground this season, having averaged 172.7 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Apollo Ridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging 160.2 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 Apollo Ridge in their previous matchup back in October of 2024, as the squad secured a 55-10 victory. In that matchup, the Ironmen amassed a halftime lead of 40-10, an impressive feat they'll look to repeat on Friday.
