Coach Jeff Rotsky is pleased with his team’s preparation and performance the past two weeks after an early season loss to Kenston. (Tim Phillis – For The News-Herald)
Coach Jeff Rotsky is the first person to admit his VASJ football team got outplayed in a 49-27 loss to Kenston on Sept. 8.
He will also be the first person to attest that he has been pleased with how his Vikings have responded since that Week 4 loss.
VASJ won its second game in a row since that loss with a 56-39 win over Erie McDowell on Sept. 22, with the Vikings’ offense piling up 685 yards of offense in the high-scoring affair.
In the past two weeks, VASJ has averaged 52.5 points per game with more than 500 yards of offense per game against Gilmour in a 49-13 win and then in the win over Erie McDowell.
“We’ve had two really good weeks of practice,” Rotsky said. “We’ve had a lot of positive energy and great looks from our scout team. It’s been very positive.
“I think they took it a little personally,” Rotsky continued, regarding the loss to Kenston. “We played poorly against Kenston and didn’t play as physically as we needed to. I’m really proud of how we’ve practiced and played since then.”
Against Erie McDowell, Amani Powell carried 23 times for 281 yards and two touchdowns, Bo Jackson carried 12 times for 192 yards and three scores, and QB Kylan Steuball went for 100 yards and two touchdowns on his seven carries.
To compound things, Steuball threw for 104 yards and a touchdown.
“I’m really proud of our offensive line,” Rotsky said. “We are blessed to have really good running backs, but Kylan Steuball has taken off, too. He’s 6-3, 225. When he gets going, he’s like a big fullback out there.”
The going doesn’t get any easier for VASJ. The Vikings travel to Columbus Bishop Hartley (4-2) this week, followed by trips to Youngstown Ursuline (6-0) and Akron SVSM (4-2) in the following weeks.
“The gauntlet continues,” Rotsky said. “Youngstown, Columbus and Akron. That’s not easy. But the kids understand where we’re heading. We just have to be who we are.”
