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Home > Blogs > High School Huddle > Archives > 2010 > August > 28 > Entry
Stebbins basking in first win in 31 games
Stebbins High School does, indeed, have a victory bell. It had just been quiet for awhile.
Entering Friday night, the Indians hadn’t won a football game since the 2006 finale against Northwestern. Since, they built the Miami Valley’s longest losing streak at 30 games.
For three straight high school football seasons, the bell did not ring.
That’s why the players, coaches and fans who gathered at the high school after the Indians topped West Carrollton on the road Friday spent plenty of time with it.
“We had to knock the rust off,” said Stebbins senior safety Brandon Davidson.
The 21-9 victory against West Carrollton, which made its own rebound to the playoffs from a troubled period last season, gave second-year coach Trace Smitherman his first head coaching victory, Stebbins’ seniors their first win at the school and the community a rallying point in the high school.
“We got on the bus right after, because we didn’t want to disrespect West Carrollton on their field,” Smitherman said. “Then we got back to the school, and there were a few dozen people waiting for us to celebrate.”
And, of course, ring the bell.
“It’s funny,” Smitherman said. “It usually sits right outside the weight room on the way to the field. We’re redoing that area, so we moved the bell to build a new piece to sit it on. So we had to wheel the thing out so we could bang on it.”
When a team is losing, it seems that every bounce and break goes against it. Smitherman felt optimistic on Friday when one of the fumbles dropped by a Stebbins player bounced right to another, a break that wouldn’t happen to a 30-straight-losses team.
Quarterback Steve Smith didn’t hurt, either. The transfer from Jefferson provided a spark with 150 yards rushing on 15 carries and another 100 yards passing, some of them to Ohio University recruit Ian Wells, who battled back from injury to play.
Davidson and some other Stebbins players attended the school’s boys soccer game on Saturday afternoon, and Davidson worked the ticket booth. He got plenty of congratulations from a Stebbins football community that has gained new optimism.
“Usually after a Friday night, everybody’s down,” Davidson said. “I guess we found out we have it in us.”
Especially in finding a reason to roll out and ring the bell.
“Last year we did well in one of our scrimmages, and they wanted to come back and ring the bell,” Smitherman said. “That’s how bad they wanted it, to ask for it after a scrimmage. But it’s small steps, and we’re trying to build a foundation.”
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