NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTOS BY STEVE BRANT - STC senior running back Eric Medina (0) and senior offensive lineman Manny Cervantes (77) celebrate Medina's game winning touchdown against Vinton-Shellsburg.

VINTON — Ask a dozen people to define ‘gutsy’ and you might get a dozen different answers. It’s one of those words that can be hard to define but you usually know it when you see it. And, for those in attendance at STC’s opening football game last Friday night, they saw it.

Head Coach Nate Doran and the Trojans traveled to Vinton-Shellsburg on Aug. 28 to square off against a revamped Viking program to open the 2026 season.

STC faced an early deficit when the Vikings took the opening possession of the game 62 yards for a touchdown. Junior quarterback Landry Mouton found senior receiver Reagan Salger for a 23-yard touchdown pass to put the Vikings up 7-0. Meanwhile, the Trojan’s offense struggled in the first quarter, with their two possessions ending in a punt and an interception thrown by junior quarterback Ryan Brant.

The offense found some life, however, as the second quarter began. Facing third and eight from their own 20-yard line, Brant found senior wide receiver Michael Henry on a crossing pattern. Henry weaved through traffic and broke into the open field to score an 80-yard touchdown and even the score at 7-7.

Meanwhile, the Trojan defense tightened up for the rest of the first half. Vinton went 3-and-out twice, threw an interception to STC junior Alfredo Villa, and missed a field goal. However, as time expired in the second quarter, Vinton kicker Kade Sutton connected on a 44-yard field goal to give the Vikings a 10-7 lead heading into the locker room.

STC junior quarterback Ryan Brant runs with the ball against Vinton-Shellsburg.

STC received the ball to start the second half but on the second play of the drive, Brant threw his second interception of the game. In addition, on the same drive, the Trojans star running back senior Eric Medina started to experience severe cramping in both legs and found himself limited to the sidelines.

But as a full moon began to rise over the stadium in the third quarter, some strange things started to happen — including an unusual turnover, a player switching jerseys, and lots and lots of pickle juice.

As V-S was driving deep into STC territory midway through the third quarter, Mouton dropped back to pass. With Trojan junior defensive lineman Lakyr Peska barreling down on him, the ball slipped out of Mouton’s hands as he drew back to throw. Peska was right there to nab the interception out of midair. Bobbling the ball as he tried to advance it the other way, Peska secured the ball and gave STC the key turnover.

However, as the Trojan offense took the field, they were without their starting backfield. Joining Medina on the sidelines was junior fullback Ethan Page, who was also suffering from leg cramps. As the coaching staff, and even fans, worked to secure some pickle juice for multiple ailing players, senior Kyle Youngbear switched jerseys, from his traditional #61 to #16, in order to qualify as a fullback. Youngbear noted after the game that it was the first time he had played fullback since a freshman-sophomore game during his freshman season.

Joining him in the backfield was junior Izak Schroeder, who took the running back duties for Medina. With offensive momentum stalled, facing a deficit, and missing key players, it was about to be a drive that was an early measure of the gutsy-nature of this year’s squad.

STC senior Kyle Youngbear (61) and senior Michael Henry (22) pursue the Viking ballcarrier.

STC started the drive on their own 40-yard line and Schroeder promptly carried the ball eight times for 37 yards, with Youngbear clearing the path for him.

“It felt good to get out there and run the ball,” Schroeder said after the game. “Everyone was doing their job blocking and the drive was something special.”

Add in a 19-yard pass completion from Brant to Henry on 3rd and 10, and the Trojans were moving. As the clock went into the fourth quarter, the Trojans found themselves with 4th and goal at the 3-yard line. Offensive coordinator Dustin Peska dialed up a pass play and Brant once again found Henry for a 3-yard touchdown pass to give STC the lead, 13-10. Medina somehow found his way back onto the field to kick the key extra point, extending the lead to 14-10. Medina was helped off of the field by two teammates after the kick.

“I felt it in both legs on that kick,” Medina said after the game. “I was running on adrenalin.”

But V-S got the ball next with about 11 minutes left to play. Two plays into their drive they were into the end zone when junior Eli Petersen broke off a 35-yard touchdown run. Again STC found themselves behind, 17-14.

STC senior defensive lineman Eric Medina calls out signals to his teammates against Vinton-Shellsburg.

After the two teams exchanged drives that ended in punts, the Trojans got the ball back on their own 20-yard line with 3:52 left to play in the game. Brant, on the first play of the drive, found senior receiver Eli Cruikshank on a 39-yard go-route. That put STC on the V-S 41-yard line.

And, then, Medina stepped back onto the field. Rushing five times for 23 yards, Medina led a drive that saw him punch it into the end zone from 1 yard out. STC regained the lead, 21-17, with 28 seconds to play.

Getting the ball on their own 39 yard-line, the Vikings had one last shot to win the game. But after a quarterback sack by senior Manny Cervantes, the Trojans had the game in hand. The clock ran out a play later, and STC had their victory. On that night, ‘gutsy’ was defined as pushing through injuries, stepping up at new positions, fighting back after multiple deficits, and bouncing back after mistakes.

“The game tonight was all about staying together,” Youngbear said as his teammates celebrated by the stands with their families after the game. “We played together, got tough, and used the resources that we had.”

On the night, Youngbear and Page led STC’s defense with seven tackles each. Brant finished 6/13, with 141 yards and 2 touchdown passes. Schroeder had 17 carries for 80 yards, while Medina ran 12 times for 61 yards. Cruikshank had one catch for 39 yards, while Henry hauled in 3 catches for 101 yards and two touchdowns. Henry’s effort was the first 100-yard receiving game for a Trojan in seven seasons. The last to do it was Gavin Jimenez (122 yards) on Oct. 4, 2019, against Pella.

STC junior Izak Schroeder returns a kickoff against Vinton-Shellsburg.

Up next for the Trojans is their home opener on Friday, Sept. 3. They will host the Union Knights in non-district action. STC will be looking for a measure of revenge, as last season Union dominated the matchup in La Porte City, 42-6. Kickoff will be at 7:30 p.m. at the STC High School football field.

STC senior defensive lineman Manny Cervantes sacks the Viking quarterback on the last drive of the game.