Steinert guts out key win against Pemberton
HAMILTON » As the clock ticked under three minutes at Steinert High School on Saturday afternoon, a sack by defensive tackle Matt Olsen punctuated an unrelenting performance from the Spartans’ defense.
On a hot day in which several “hydration timeouts” were necessary, Steinert gutted out a 6-0 win over Pemberton, the Spartans’ (3-1) second shutout of the season.
“They were a tough team — a real tough team. But we just had to come harder just like we always do,” wide receiver/ defensive back Miles Smith said. “It starts the Monday before (game) week. We’ve got to hydrate, eat right.”
Smith’s 39-yard touchdown on a perfect pass from quarterback Colin Smith in the second quarter mark stood as the only score of the game. The Spartans missed a couple other opportunities to strike while creating separation from the Hornets’ secondary, but finally capitalized before halftime and rode that momentum the rest of the way.
“All I saw was open field, so I was like, ‘Alright, let me get this catch,’” Miles Smith said. “I had to do it for the team.”
Miles Smith also had an interception late in the second quarter and a few pass breakups, including one over the middle with Pemberton trying to mount one last desperation drive in the final two minutes.
“He’s our best receiver and one of the top receivers in the county,” head coach Dan Caruso said. “He’s a good corner, too, and plays very good defense. He’s been shutting some guys down, so I’m very happy with the way Miles is breaking.”
But it was certainly a team effort under the steamy conditions.
Steinert’s defensive line, led by Olsen, defensive tackle Nick Pasqua and defensive ends Angelo Falvo and Keon Cooper, were active and productive up front. They consistently helped shut down Pemberton’s running backs and dual-threat quarterback Octaveous Starkey.
“Those guys, especially at the end of the game, they’re pinning their ears back and they’re getting after the passer,” Caruso said. “They’re in-shape kids. They’re all oneway players. Only one guy’s a two-way player. We do that for a reason. We want to keep guys fresh.
“They’re undersized, but they play with a lot of effort and a lot of spirit and a lot of passion.”
The first two quarters featured only five first downs up until Pemberton’s defense blinked first.
On 3rd-and-1 from Pemberton’s 39-yard line, Steinert snuck in a well-designed pass play to Miles Smith on a vertical route with 3:49 remaining in the half. And the Spartans had that prime field position thanks to a Pemberton three-and-out forced by the defense backing the Hornets deep in their own territory before punting.
After the touchdown, the Spartans snuffed out a Pemberton threat in the final minutes of the second quarter.
The Hornets lined up to punt after what appeared to be another three-and-out, but Adam Falks gained 28 yards on a fake all the way down to Steinert’s 24-yard line with 1:45 on the clock.
Five plays later on a critical fourth down at the 12, Miles Smith leaped for an interception on the outside, allowing the Spartans to kneel out the final seconds before halftime.
Defensive back Gehrig Rios continued the momentum for Steinert in the second half with a third-down pass breakup on Pemberton’s opening drive.
The Spartans also forced two fumbles — one they recovered and one creating a turnover on downs — and came up with one final stop at the very end when the clock ran out on Pemberton at midfield.
The means were not ideal, but the result was a rewarding three-game winning streak entering a bye week. And it came against the nemesis that had beaten Steinert in fourth-quarter comeback fashion last season.
“Certainly after the way last year went, dropping that game, we definitely wanted to take this one home and walk out of here with a ‘W,’” Caruso said. “It’s good going into the bye. It gives us a little of motivation going in, to now get back to basics and get things right.”
Pemberton (2-2) Steinert (3-1) Second Quarter S— 0 0 0 6 0 0 — 0 0— 0 6
M. Smith 39 pass from C. Smith (kick failed)