STEUBENVILLE - Getting a victory at Harding Stadium is tough is enough. Getting one without your starting tailback is next to impossible. The Fairview Tigers learned that lesson the hard way Friday in a 32-10 loss to undefeated Steubenville.

''Fairview caught a tough break,'' Steubenville coach Reno Saccoccia said. ''Their tailback (Jared Lane) wasn't able to play. He pulled his hamstring at practice.

''That took them away their offense a little bit and it hurt them on defense. Lane and (Peter Jackson) both start on offense, so they split time at defense. (Friday), Jackson was out there on defense the whole night.''

If seeing their three-man backfield cut down two wasn't bad enough for the Tigers, Big Red's speed off the ball left Fairview desperate for yards. The Steubenville defenders allowed the Tigers 128 yards of offense - 79 on the ground and 49 in the air.

Big Red's offense proved almost four times as effective. Their ground assault racked up 203 yards and scored three times. The aerial attack added 171 and two TDs.

JoJo Pierro finished as the Red's leading rusher with 52 yards on 14 carries. Dwight Macon, who returned to the Big Red lineup after missing the last two games with a shoulder injury, shook off the rust and threw for 143 and both scoring passes. Anthony Pierro had three catches for 52 yards and a score. Dominic Garay had two for 42 and the other TD reception.

Big Red set the stage early, driving 82 yards on 11 plays to score their first touchdown on the game's first possession at 7:28 of the first quarter. A 17-yard running play by Trey Wiggins, a 10-yard gain from JoJo Pierro, and a 24-yard pass from Macon to Garay set up the march, which Jesse Birden capped with a 1-yard run.

Things went from bad to worse for the Tigers on the ensuing kickoff, when ball was fumbled and Big Red's William Houst recovered on Fairview's 36. Despite a 21-yard run by Macon on the next play, Big Red ended up giving it up on downs.

Finally, Fairview got a chance to run a play with less than 3 minutes remaining in the quarter. The possession didn't last long as Jackson accumulated no yards on his first carry and the same on his second. The third play - again a Jackson run - netted 5 but the Tigers had to punt.

Steubenville's Caleb Westlake returned it all the way to midfield and Big Red was back in business.

''We had some really nice returns,'' Saccoccia said. ''Caleb did a real good job. He has done a real good job for us for two years now.

''Jordan Meyer also did a great job when he was back there. That helped.''

While good returns gave Big Red scoring opportunities, penalties took them away. After Westlake's return to the 50, holding and offside calls stalled the drive. Big Red finished the game with 85 yards in penalties.

''I was disappointed with the amount of penalties in the first half and who got the penalties. Those are hard-working, dependable players,'' Saccoccia said. ''It's out of character for them and there's no excuse for it.

''We depend on those guys. They know better.''

Big Red made up for the lack of judgment on defense. Fairview's second possession went as poorly as its first. On third-and-short, Jesse Birden stuffed the Tigers' big fullback - 6-foot-6, 230-pound Jordan Kerner - for a 1-yard loss. Birden did the same to Jackson who tried to run after a fake punt, but was held to no gain at the 50.

Big Red took advantage of the short field position when Macon found Anthony Pierro on a 27-yard scoring strike at 11:52 of the second quarter.

Big Red came up with two more touchdowns before the bands took the field to lead 26-0. At 6:26, Gray pulled down his TD pass - a 22-yarder. The kick following the 11-play, 72-yard drive also failed.

With 30 seconds remaining, Shaq Petteway ran in from a yard out. A big return by Meyer set up that five-play, 57-yard possession.

The drive, which began with a minute and a half remaining, showcased Big Red's 2-minute offense.

''I was really happy with our 2-minute 'O' and our no-huddle,'' Saccoccia said. ''We got out of bounds when we needed to, we spiked the ball at the right time, we got right back on the line, and we did it quietly.

''We didn't have to shout out instructions or scream. Our players knew what to so and they did it.''

The Tigers took away the shutout with no time left in the first half after Big Red was called for pass interference. The penalty allowed Fairview one more play and Josh Gdanetz nailed a 37-yard field goal to make good on it.