Football: Bucky Grayston’s pick six sparks scoring splurge in Sun Valley win

ASTON — It wasn’t that many seasons ago that Sun Valley’s win total wasn’t very high and the number of fans in the stands had dwindled.

Things have changed in 2022. When the Vanguards hosted West Chester East Friday night, a huge Homecoming crowd had plenty to cheer about as Sun Valley rolled to its second consecutive victory, a 50-14 decision over the winless Vikings.

The Valley got five touchdowns after halftime, the most-exciting a 35-yard interception return by senior middle linebacker Bucky Grayston. His big play came less than a minute after Jack Penzone’s 21-yard scoring run as the Vanguards pulled away from a 16-7 halftime lead.

“That felt good,” Grayston, who also had an interception on the last play of the first half, said. “Almost like it was in a dream. The coaches made some great calls, and that changed things up for me.”

Sun Valley went ahead on its first possession after Ryan Creegan fell on an East fumble on the Vikings’ second play from scrimmage at the East 23. Quarterback Stephen Eskridge, who ran for 117 yards and threw for 75, got six points on a short run.

East came right back to go ahead, 7-6, as Nate DeRosa and Tyler Wileczek teamed on a 64-yard completion and Nik Nowak kicked the extra point.

Two of East’s other four first-half possessions ended with a lost fumble and an interception.

“Turnovers, turnovers, turnovers,” East coach Scott Stephen said after his team fell to 0-7. “Any time you keep giving the ball away like that, you’re helping the other team to an advantage. And they certainly took advantage of our turnovers tonight.

“Our passing game opened up a little more today. We just have to do a better job of getting the ball and keeping the ball.”

An Eskridge 48-yard sprint two minutes before the first quarter ended put Sun Valley ahead to stay. John Nolek added a 44-yard field goal for the only points of the second quarter.

Eskridge ran 26 yards to score on his final carry of the game early in the second half, then Sun Valley had to drive only 39 yards for another six points three minutes later, shortly before Grayston’s Pick Six.

“I never had one of those,” Grayston said.

Todd Harper (76 yards rushing) and Noah Griffin (121 yards on 21 carries) ran for TDs in the fourth quarter for Sun Valley (4-3), which finished with 339 yards on the ground and a 6.8 average gain per carry.

“We’ve put in a lot of hard work,” said senior offensive lineman Travis Powell, who joined John-Paul Griswold, Sean Curley, Matt Howard and Nolan Horton on the Valley offensive front. “We know we have to keep pushing every day and keep getting better.”

Added coach Ernie Ellis: “It was a great team effort.”