Friday Night Lights: BOUND BY PURPLE

The Big Sandy High football team has been on a roll to start the 2020 season, with an undefeated 3-0 overall record. Plenty of factors have been putting together the powerful concoction that is the Pioneers, but on both sides of the ball, there is a nice double-dose of Strutz.

Brothers Kade and Kody Strutz have been major parts of Big Sandy athletics. The two were a part of last year's excellent football and basketball seasons for the Pioneers and overall, have been a shining example of athleticism and sportsmanship. Now in the 2020 season, the dynamic duo have been able to play alongside one another on both sides of the ball.

And when it comes to being on the field this year, the Strutz brothers have had a great time bringing their all to the games.

"Playing with my brother has been a blast this year," Kody Strutz said. "This is really my first year I've got a chance to be playing with him on both sides of the ball. It's nice to have someone like him to look up to as a leader and a player. He's a great teammate and he's extremely talented as a player. I'm excited to see how far he can go. I know he has it in him. It's been a blast having him along my side this year on the field."

"Playing with my brother has been a lot of fun," Kade Strutz said. "It's nice to see him step up this year, going from the sidelines as a freshman to starting on both sides of the ball this year as a sophomore. He's a great athlete and a great teammate. I'm thankful I've gotten the opportunity to play alongside him for three years."

Offensively, the brothers play a crucial role in the scheme of the game. Kody Strutz is both an excellent passer with a powerful arm and a receiver who can catch the ball when he is called to. As for Kade Strutz, his legs make him one of the most powerful running backs in Class C, which puts the Pioneers' one-two offensive punch at a high level.

Defensively, the Strutz brothers make opposing offenses wary. The two can hit hard, strike quick and gain on offensive weapons without much struggle. The two have a great amount of football knowledge. Kody Strutz is making the most of his sophomore year, while Kade Strutz is nearing the end of his high school career, but the both of them surely make an impact on the turf every day.

A classic trope for siblings is that they have a rivalry with one another, but in the case of the Strutz duo, they know how important it is to keep the other on the right track.

"We both are very competitive with each other in just about anything we do," Kody Strutz said. "Like seeing who can eat more or who can throw the football the farthest. We use that competitive edge. We have to push each other in practice and if we make mistakes in the game we'll be sure to let each other know about it. We love to hold each other accountable and make sure we're both playing at or fullest potential."

"Him and I are very competitive because we grew up learning how to do the same thing at the same time," Kade Strutz said. "Our competitiveness towards each other has helped us to perform at the highest level we can in practice. We hold each other accountable for our mistakes. If I make a mistake in a game, he isn't afraid to come up and tell me I made a mistake and I'm not afraid to do the same to him."

But the two are not just great athletes, they are brothers with a goal to help one another succeed. The duo is never afraid to have the other's back, improve on possible shortcomings between the two and overall, the brothers simply are the example of brothers-in-arms, albeit at a more morally sound level. On or off the field, the Strutz duo keeps the ball rolling when it comes to helping one another become not only just better athletes, but better people, too.

Being able to be on the field has brought about plenty of opportunities for the Strutz brothers and the two have been proud of what one another has brought to the field this season.

"Kade is a thoroughbred running back, which he definitely gets from my dad," Kody Strutz. "He's built strong, compact and he may not look like it, but he has lots and lots of speed and a really quick twitch, which helps him make clean sharp powerful up-field cuts. He has a killer instinct on the field that you would never know he had if you met him in person. On top of that he's a great leader and everyone looks up to him as a, player, a student and an everyday human being. He's extremely athletic and his dedication to the sport is unbelievable, especially seeing the work he put in this summer. He's a great athlete and an even better person off the field. He makes me strive to be better and I can't wait to see the future he has ahead of him."

"Kody is an athlete," Kade Strutz said. "He's at a good height for his age, he's got long arms and legs and he's quick and shifty. He's tenacious on defense, too. He isn't afraid to hit anyone and he's a great tackler. On offense, he has a good arm and has really good hands. He is a well-rounded athlete, and he has a bright future ahead of him."

The Stutz duo will be ready to bring plenty of power to the next game on Big Sandy's schedule, which is the Sunburst Refiners Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. in Sunburst.