Zach Miles is a student at Valley Christian and is a member of the AIA's Student SID Program. 

After a strong win against Palo Verde on Tuesday, September 24th, the Trojan flag football team was ready for their matchup against Scottsdale Christian, but even with a strong performance, they could not defeat the Eagles. After many impressive plays, the Trojans were defeated, losing 0-13 to SCA. However, with this being VC's inaugural season of flag football, every game is an invaluable learning experience, and the Trojans learn and grow from every minute on the field.  

 On defense, junior Charis Barrett gave an incredible performance. She had 3 sacks and 7 flag pulls, making her a force to be reckoned with on the field. Her ability to quickly read and analyze the opposing team's offensive lineup was the secret to success.

She shared, "the secret of great defense is being two steps ahead of the opposing quarterback."  

Another highlight of the Trojan defense was junior Rylan Ernst, who caught the game's only interception, all with a sprained hand. Her perseverance through the pain showed the dedication the team has been building for months.  

Offensively, sophomore Ryann Nelson led the team with 29 receiving yards, closely followed by fellow junior Rylee Randalman (21 yards). Randleman also led the special teams by punting a total of 67 yards. They shared that the offense felt out of sync and that is likely what lead to their demise. Junior Bella Goldman led with 15 rushing yards, but was unable to score.  

While the team held strong until the end, they couldn't overcome the Eagles. They stay optimistic about the future of the flag football program, despite the loss. With this being their first year, every game is a huge learning experience.

"We're learning to trust each other more and more with every game. Every loss and every win bring us closer as a team, but also closer to God," Barrett reflected, looking back on the game. 

 James 1:2-4 says, "Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."

With this, the team will continue through the season, victorious in Christ.