Struthers snaps 10-game losing streak to Hubbard


By Joe Scalzo

scalzo@vindy.com

HUBBARD

If you’re making a list of “Signs your team is having a special year,” here’s a couple you can add.

Following a two-touchdown win over one of the area’s best programs, your standout senior running back splits his postgame interview between praising his offensive line and praising the community.

Your coach, when given an opportunity to praise that offensive line, makes sure to spend an extra 30 seconds talking up his fullback.

Oh, and how about this one: Your team snaps a 10-game losing streak to one of the Valley’s best programs and no one even mentions it in the postgame interview.

That’s what happened Friday night as Struthers earned a convincing 34-20 victory over Hubbard in an All-American Conference American Division game.

“This is huge for us,” said senior running back David Stewart, who rushed for 139 yards and four TDs. “Last year we were at the same point [4-1 record] and we let down.

“This year we’re more excited because we’re getting big wins.”

Struthers won the game in the trenches, with the offensive line (take a bow, Dan Pape, Mike Pape, Dan Dudley, Carmen Sinkovich and Curtis Wagner) and tight ends (Cameron Suchora, Vince Fandozzi) clearing the way for 231 yards rushing.

“The line always tells me to get behind them and ‘Go get that money,’ ” Stewart said.

Fullback Nick Pollifrone ran for 41 yards but made a bigger contribution with his blocking.

“I can’t say enough about Nick Pollifrone,” Struthers coach Curt Kuntz said. “He could be a great tailback in his own right and he’s a great receiver, but he takes one for the team.

“Nobody wants to talk about fullbacks, but they’ve gotta hit somebody in the mouth on every play. Finding fullbacks is hard to do. It shows the commitment to the team because they’re not getting love from anybody.”

After a scoreless first quarter, Struthers jumped out to a 7-0 lead on a simple out pattern from Gary Muntean to Temeko Holness, who spun out of a tackle, put his head down and raced down the sidelines for 81 yards.

Hubbard trailed the rest of the way, piling up 114 penalty yards en route to its second straight loss. The Wildcats bottled up dynamic sophomore L.J. Scott (12 carries, 14 yards) — “We knew we had to stop No. 3,” Kuntz said — and head into next week’s showdown with Poland with lots of momentum.

“That’s where we’re trying to get our program,” Kuntz said of Poland. “We’re not there yet, but we’ll get the measuring stick out next week and see how the chips fall.”

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