“I’m happy for the community, happy for these guys and the work they put in,” said Springfield coach Maurice Douglass. “The coaches have done a great job up to this point and I expect them to do nothing less (this week).”
After becoming the first team to advance to the regional final in combined school history, the Wildcats are seeking even greater heights this week — a trip to the Division I final four.
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A tough task awaits in Dublin Coffman. The Wildcats will play the Shamrocks (10-2) in the D-I, Region 2 final at 7 p.m. Friday at London’s Bowlus Field.
The last time a Springfield City School District football program played in the regional final in 2002, many of the players on this year’s Wildcats squad weren’t born yet.
“It’s been a long time since they’ve been in this position,” Douglass said. “Hopefully we can be the first team to take it to the final four.”
Springfield enters the game on a 10-game winning streak. The Wildcats haven’t loss since falling to Fairfield 16-12 on Sept. 6.
Dublin Coffman has won four straight games, including a 42-17 victory over Toledo Whitmer in the regional semifinals. The Shamrocks two losses came by two points or less — a 29-27 loss to Pickerington North in Week 5 and a 15-14 loss to Hilliard Davidson in Week 8.
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The two programs went 6-0 against three common opponents this year — Northmont, Dublin Jerome and Marysville.
The Wildcats have played the Shamrocks in 7-on-7 passing games over the last few summers, Douglass said.
“They’ve got a good, athletic team,” Douglass said.
The Shamrocks run a spread offense and a 3-4 defense, he said. Offensively, they’re led by running backs Bryon Threats, Mike Drennen II and Moussa Diallo, as well as quarterback Conor Mathews. Threats rushed for 208 yards and Mathews ran for 119 yards in the Rocks victory over Whitmer.
“They’ve got a good running system,” Douglass said. “We’re going to have to do a good job defending their quarterback. He’s a good zone read guy. They’ve done a lot of good things the last few weeks with him.”
Defense will be the key in Friday’s matchup, Douglass said.
“We’ve got to win the turnover battle and do a great job on third down giving the ball to offense,” Douglass said. “We’ve got to play good Wildcat defense like we have all year.”
In his sixth season at Springfield, Douglass is happy with the direction of the program. The Wildcats have won back-to-back Greater Western Ohio Conference championships and advanced to the playoffs three of the last four years.
They’re one win away from making history again. Only three Clark County football teams have ever advanced to the state semifinals — Catholic Central (1991, 2007) and Shawnee (2011).
“The kids have done a good job of buying in,” Douglass said. “That’s the thing I’ve been selling since I got here and they’ve bought in. Now they’re getting the rewards for the seeds that they’ve sown.”
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