NEWS CHRONICLE PHOTOS BY STEVE BRANT – STC senior Eric Medina (0) and senior Manny Cervantes (77) rush the quarterback against Pella Christian.

PELLA — Football pundits will tell you that a game is never won or lost by just one play. However, true as that is, sometimes it feels like it does.

Take STC’s trip to Pella last Friday, Oct. 9. With a 16-14 lead halfway through the fourth quarter, the Trojans faced a fourth down on Pella Christian’s 13 yard line. Needing to gain only about a foot for the first down, STC ran a quarterback sneak by senior Michael Henry to keep the drive going. However, Eagle senior linebacker Evan VanAredonk hit Henry high to stop the Trojans short of the marker. It turned out to be a critical moment in the game, as Pella Christian went on to score and walk away with a 27-16 victory.

The play was, in some ways, a mirror-image to last year’s contest between the two teams in Tama. Attempting a 2-point conversion late in the game that would have given them the lead, the Eagles were stuffed at the goal line when Trojan linebacker Kyle Youngbear shot through the line and stuffed the Eagle running back in his tracks. The play preserved a 28-27 victory for STC.

Back to this year, the Trojans had shown a spirited effort all night. After the STC defense stopped the Eagles’ opening drive on a fourth and goal, the Trojan offense took over on their own 4-yard line. Reeling off an 11-play, 96-yard drive, STC took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter when junior running back Izak Schroeder ran it in from 12 yards out. The drive had been highlighted by 38 yards rushing by senior running back Eric Medina, and a 43-yard pass completion from junior quarterback Ryan Brant to wide receiver Henry.

However, four plays later, Eagle junior quarterback Trey Steinkamp broke off a 52-yard touchdown run to tie the game at 7-7. On the ensuing possession for the Trojans, Brant was hurt on a quarterback run with an apparent knee injury and did not return to the game. Henry moved over to quarterback and helped move the ball down the field. But STC was forced to punt. Two plays later, Pella Christian junior running back Adam Kacmarynski broke away for an 80-yard rushing touchdown to give the Eagles a 14-7 lead. On the following kickoff, Trojan senior wide receiver Eli Cruikshank reeled off a rice return but he too had to leave the game due to an injury on the play. Cruikshank also did not return to the contest.

STC senior linebacker Kyle Youngbear (61) stops Pella Christian short of the goal-line on fourth down in the first quarter.

STC was down two of their offensive weapons for the rest of the night. However, Henry helped lead a 8-play scoring drive to put the Trojans right back in the game. Highlighted by a 20-yard fake punt run by Schroeder, the drive was capped off when Henry found senior wide receiver Chanden Graybeal for a 13-yard touchdown pass. After missing out on a two-point conversion, the two teams went to the halftime locker room with the score at 14-13, Eagles.

For much of the third quarter, the two teams battled to a defensive standstill. The Trojans intercepted Steinkamp on the first two Eagle possessions of the quarter–both pickoffs coming from junior defensive back Alfredo Villa (his third and fourth of the season). Late in the quarter, rushing by Henry and Medina led the Trojans down to the 14-yard line, where Medina hit a 31-yard field goal to give STC a 16-14 lead. As the third quarter came to an end, the Trojans intercepted their third Steinkamp pass–this time courtesy of STC senior safety Josiah Houghton.

After the two teams traded possessions that stalled out, the Trojans started their fateful drive. Rushing by Medina and Henry took the ball down to the Pella Christian 13-yard line but the Eagle defense stopped them on the critical fourth down hit. Seven plays later, Kacmarynski broke off a 46-yard touchdown run to push the score to 20-16. The Trojans had an opportunity to re-take the lead but their drive stalled quickly when they failed to convert on a 4th down and 5. The Eagles punched in another rushing touchdown as time ran down in the game to put the final tally at 27-16.

For the game, Medina carried the ball 36 times for 162 yards. Schroeder added 54 yards on 10 carries. Henry finished 2/7 with 24 yards passing and 33 yards rushing. Henry was also the second-leading tackler on the night by recording 7.5 stops. Senior linebacker Kyle Youngbear led the team with 11 tackles. Entering the contest, Youngbear was the leading tackler in the state this season in class 2A.

The Trojans (2-5) will now enter their final regular season contest of the year. STC will host Van Buren County (4-3) on Friday night, Oct. 16. The Warriors will come to town as a replacement opponent after Davis County cancelled their football season earlier in the fall. During the night, STC will honor nine seniors from a class that has won seven games to-date in the last two seasons, and helped secure a playoff appearance in 2025. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m. at the STC High School football field.

STC junior running back Izak Schroeder scores on a touchdown in the first quarter against Pella Christian.

STC senior quarterback Michael Henry hands the ball off to junior running back Izak Schroeder against Pella Christian.

STC senior safety Josiah Houghton intercepts a pass in the second half against Pella Christian.

STC senior running back Eric Medina rushes against Pella Christian. Medina finished with 162 yards rushing on the night.

STC senior quarterback Michael Henry (left) is stopped on the critical 4th and short play halfway through the 4th quarter.