Kojo Steffey got the green light to play football on Monday at 2:30 p.m., and by Friday, he was torching Northwestern for three touchdowns and 148 rushing yards, leading West Lafayette to a decisive 49-14 victory in the Class 3A, Sectional 28 quarterfinals. His return to the field was a surprise even to his own coach, Shane Fry, who had no idea it was even a possibility.
Cleared to Play, Straight to Practice
Steffey had been sidelined with a leg injury since the game on September 18 against Logansport and wasn’t expected to return this season. But after texting Coach Fry on Monday morning about heading to the doctor, he got the all-clear that afternoon. Just an hour and a half later, at 4 p.m., Steffey was at practice, ramping up for what would become an unbelievable comeback. He even admitted to being surprised by his own performance. “This whole week I’ve been training, I’ve been practicing, it felt amazing,” Steffey said. “I didn’t think I was about to come out and do this, but it feels great.” The decision to start him wasn’t made until Friday, largely because one of the other running back options was sick, and Steffey had assured Fry he was good to go.
A Game-Changing Performance
It didn’t take long for Steffey to show why he got the nod. He put West Lafayette (3-7) on the scoreboard at the 8:31 mark of the first quarter, converting a fourth-and-4 before punching in a touchdown from a few yards out. Early in the second quarter, he set up another score, making a 9-yard rush to the 1-yard line, allowing Chase Ostrom to grab a touchdown and extend the lead to 14-0. But his defining moment came with 8:03 left in the second quarter: Steffey broke loose for an emphatic 65-yard touchdown, making it 21-0 and solidifying West Lafayette’s control of the game. He credited his offensive line, saying, “I trust my offensive line 100%. Down the gap, I found a hole and took it. Honestly, I thought I was about to get caught, I turned around and I didn’t know he was that far behind. But it felt great.”
Captain’s Leadership in a Tough Season
Steffey’s injury woes started back in Week 1, but he pushed through for several weeks before it eventually forced him to the sideline. Even then, he never truly left the team. He was always at practice, cheering on his teammates during games, and actively helping the other running backs improve. Coach Fry highlighted Steffey’s leadership, especially considering how rough the season had been for the Red Devils. “He could have easily folded up shop and just kind of been done, but he did the opposite,” Fry said. “He’s a captain, and he showed it. So proud of him and I’m so happy that he gets to come out and play at all, let alone have a good game. Even if he had five carries for 10 yards, I would have been thrilled.” West Lafayette’s overall team effort showed that they’re still fully committed despite the struggles, with quarterback Blake Biddle completing 20 of 27 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns, connecting with Braylon Crisp and Andrew Pfeiffer for scores. Steffey’s return ignites their postseason push, proving that this team is far from done. West Lafayette will now look to carry this momentum forward in the Class 3A, Sectional 28 tournament.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
Leave a Reply