Watch Friday Night Films highlights of VC’s win here:
Valley Central’s defense is the story right now, and Elijah Struther is the headline.
The Vikings went into Kingston on Friday night and never let the Tigers threaten. It was the second straight week Valley Central held an opponent to just seven points, and a week after those seven came on a special teams touchdown, this defense looks like a real problem for the rest of Section 9.
* Full Length Friday Night Film Recap Coming This Week*
Previous films:
- Goshen beats Warwick in Nor’Easter
- Cornwall sends statement at Monroe-Woodbury
- Newburgh routs Warwick behind big plays
Struther was the loudest example. The senior corner took an interception back for a touchdown, his fifth pick in just four games. He missed one game with an injury, which means he’s averaging better than an interception per game when he’s on the field. Quarterbacks keep testing him anyway, and he keeps making them pay. He’s one of the best corners in the state.
We caught up with him after the game and asked about the pick-six. He wasn’t shy about how tired he was by the time he got there.
“It felt amazing. I kinda cramped up. I didn’t know if I was gonna make it,” Struther said. “And I’m happy I got there.”
How did he read the play?
“I just broke on the ball. I didn’t know what route they were running,” he said.
I told him I was surprised quarterbacks were still throwing his way. He laughed and agreed.
“Yeah, me too,” Struther said. “I’m just hoping my teammate gets a shot. He got one last week.”
That’s a corner with five interceptions thinking about his teammates getting a turn. When I asked whether it felt good to quiet a big Kingston crowd, the answer was short and honest: “It did.”
And it was a big crowd, as it always is in Kingston. The home fans just didn’t have much to cheer about. Valley Central took control and kept it, and when the clock ran out, the Vikings exploded in celebration. We were there to capture it, and you can see that joy in the video above.
Head coach Kyle Schneider told us after the game how proud he was of the defense. It was also his first league win, and a big one. Valley Central is now 4-1, and a league win this early is exactly what a team needs to build a playoff case.
Struther told us there’s a chip on this group’s shoulder. They’ve heard the talk that the defense is a shaky spot for this team, and they’re using it as motivation. After two straight weeks of holding opponents to seven points, that talk is getting harder to defend.
It was a perfect night for football in Kingston. If Valley Central keeps defending like this, with one of the best corners in the state leading the way, the Vikings are going to be a very tough out the rest of the season.
