In baseball, good pitching can shut down a good offense. Friday night at Memorial Stadium the Graham Steers proved that analogy also can pertain to football.

The Steer defense “pitched” a near perfect game as they stymied a high-powered Hirschi offense en-route to a 50-6 win Friday night

Graham was able to what no other team had done this season as they shut down Hirschi’s Cedric Battle. The Husky senior started the game just 73 rushing yards short of 2,000 for the season but the Steer defense kept him in check for most of the night. Battle’s 9-yard touchdown run late in the fourth was the only blemish on a stellar effort from the Steer “D”.

Graham Head Coach Kenny Davidson had high praise for his defense’s effort as held Battle to just 31 yards rushing on 25 carries.

“We felt like we needed to rise to the challenge and Battle is certainly a challenge. Not only is he quick and fast he also is very strong. He plays with a lot of heart. Our defense has played well all year and tonight they did again.”

Graham’s win coupled with Decatur’s 29-25 victory over Gainesville means the Steers will face the Eagles at home next Friday night with the winner claiming a district championship.

The Huskies (2-7,1-3) also benefit from Decatur’s win as they can claim the final playoff spot with a win at Burkburnett next Friday night.

“We just have to go to work Monday and put our hard hats on and get ready for Burk,” said Husky head coach Danny Youngs. “I am proud of our kids. They played hard. The (Graham) were the better football team tonight. We have to eliminate some mistakes and play better next week.

The Graham offense came out in high gear to start the game as they scored on their first three possessions. The Steers took the opening kickoff and covered 65 yards in 8 plays to take a 7-0 lead. Quarterback Landry Turner capped the drive with a 6 yard run.

They went up 14-0 with 5:55 left in the first. This time Turner did it with his arm as connected with Derek Sides on a 45 yard catch and run. Sides caught the ball in the right flat and then broke a pair of tackles as he raced down the sideline.

Casey Cannon scored early in the second quarter from one yard out to increase the lead to 20-0. The scoring drive was kept alive with on third down and 24 when Turner found Todd Parker across the middle with a 33 yard completion.

The Husky offense struggled in the first half thanks in part to a stingy Graham defense and plenty of mistakes. Nine penalties for 70 yards kept Hirschi working behind the chains. The Hirschi offense was also plagued by three interceptions, all by Graham’s Landon Gonzalez. The last pick ended Hirschi’s best scoring chance as Gonzalez stepped in front of a Douglas Johnson throw at the Steer 6 late in the half.

“Part of that (the offensive problems) was us and part of that was them (the Graham defense), added Youngs. “You can’t start every series first and 25.”

The Husky defense ended a pair of Graham drives in the second quarter with a pair of interceptions themselves but couldn’t turn the turnovers into points.

Graham turned a Hirschi fumble on the opening possession of the second half into a touchdown. Battle lost the ball at his own 28 and the Steers wasted little time cashing in. Nick Martin went over from two yards out to give a 27-0 lead.

Another Hirschi miscue lead to the next 9 Graham points. A Husky punt snap went out of the end zone for a safety and after the free kick Cannon ended a another drive with a TD run, this time from 14 yards out.

Gonzalez capped a big night for him with a 74-yard kickoff return after Battle’s TD and Konner Hamm finished the scoring with a 51-yard run with 43 seconds left.