Soccer Game Preview: Vinton-Shellsburg vs. Williamsburg

The Vinton-Shellsburg Vikings will take on the Williamsburg Raiders at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. The teams are on pretty different trajectories at the moment (Vinton-Shellsburg has nine straight victories, Williamsburg has three straight losses), but none of that matters once you're on the pitch.

Vinton-Shellsburg's defense heads into the match hoping to repeat the dominance they displayed on Monday. They were the clear victors by a 10-0 margin over East Marshall. The result was nothing new for Vinton-Shellsburg, who have now won eight contests by three goals or more so far this season.

Meanwhile, Williamsburg fell victim to East Buchanan and their airtight defense on Tuesday. They lost 10-0 to the Buccaneers. While losing is never fun, Williamsburg can't take it too hard given the team's big disadvantage in MaxPreps' Iowa soccer rankings (they are ranked 164th, while East Buchanan are ranked 31st).

Vinton-Shellsburg pushed their record up to 9-6-1 with the win, which was their fifth straight on the road. Those road victories came thanks in part to their defensive effort, having only given up two goals over those five games. As for Williamsburg, their defeat dropped their record down to 4-12-2.

Vinton-Shellsburg was able to grind out a solid win over Williamsburg in their previous matchup back in April of 2024, winning 3-1. Do the Vikings have another victory up their sleeve, or will the Raiders turn the tables on them? We'll have the answer soon enough.