The South Shore football team has developed a flair for the dramatic this season.
The Vikings have made a habit out of winning close games with big plays down the stretch, and the squad’s latest victory — a 24–8 showing against New Dorp on Oct. 7 — was no different.
Sophomore defensive back Ivanchile Jules cemented the victory late in the second half, recovering a fumble on the New Dorp one-yard line and returning the ball 99 yards for a much-needed touchdown. It was enough to spark the Vikings (4–1) and lead the squad to its fourth-straight victory.
“I just stuck to my principles of keeping my eyes on the ball and watching the quarterback,” Jules said. “The ball went in the air, and I took advantage of the opportunity to make a play.”
Jules’s defensive play was the highlight of a dominant second-half performance by South Shore.
The Vikings fell behind 8–0 early against New Dorp (4–1), but the squad was able to turn things around in the third quarter, controlling the ball and capitalizing on a handful of the Central Cougars mistakes.
Jason Martin — who has established himself as one of the city’s top offensive threats this season — controlled the tempo for South Shore, reading New Dorp’s defense with ease and making things happen even when it appeared the play had broken down. The dual-threat quarterback completed just two of his five pass attempts, but he made up for it with his performance on the ground.
South Shore’s offense hit its stride down the stretch, but the game was decided by the defense. Jules’ recovery and touchdown capped off a dominant effort on the defensive side of the ball as the Vikings shut out New Dorp — undefeated coming into the matchup — in the second half. By the final whistle, 10 different South Shore defenders notched at least three tackles, and five players added tackles for a loss, limiting New Dorp’s offense and keeping the Central Cougars from finding a rhythm as the clock ticked down.
It’s a performance that has the Vikings feeling good heading into the second half of the season. After all, this team enjoys keeping things a bit dramatic.
“We’ve been dealing injuries that have been as bad as I’ve seen here,” Ciquera said. “I am most impressed with how our young guys, which includes a few sophomores who have stepped up and picked up the slack here this season. It’s been great to see.”
