“Last week we didn’t finish, and therefore we lost a game we shouldn’t have lost," Springfield coach Maurice Douglass said. "When you don’t put your foot on their throat, that can happen. This week the emphasis was on getting back on track and playing 48 minutes. Our guys did a good job of playing 48.”
There was no disputing that after the Wildcats scored in every quarter to improve to 4-1 with one week left before the playoffs are set to begin.
“I don’t like losing to Northmont, period, but that loss was good for us," Douglass said. "God says he resists the proud but will exalt the humble. Sometimes you have to have that humility. We needed that so it was a good loss for us, and hopefully we’ll just continue to keep working and keep grinding starting on Monday.”
Against Springboro, the Wildcats struck first on a 9-yard touchdown run by Anthony Brown, who took a handoff over left tackle and knifed through the Panthers (2-2) defense from 9 yards out.
The Wildcats got the ball back in prime territory thanks to a long punt return by Dovon Williams, and they took advantage when Te’Sean Smoot lofted a fade lass to Brown, who outfought a defender for a 15-yard touchdown catch.
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Credit: Marcus Hartman
Then it was Bryce Walker’s turn as he bulled in from 3 yards out to make it 20-0 Springfield early in the second quarter.
Midway through the second, the Wildcats added on when Smoot hooked up with Tyron Barnes for a touchdown, and the Springfield signalcaller made it a three touchdown pass night when he found Brown over the middle from 28 yards out midway through the third.
Not that he was done. Smoot added another score with a 6-yard touchdown run with 5:43 to go in the fourth quarter.
He completed 19 of 27 passes for 265 yards and ran for 101 yards on 11 carries.
“He had a good day today," Douglass said. "I’m happy for him because he’s under a lot of pressure. Last week he had a good game, threw for 400 yards and still can’t get respect. So he’s just got to keep beating 'em. Beat the ones they say are better than you.”
Smoot, who quarterbacked the Wildcats to the state semifinals last season, said the team had to focus more this week in practice after the heart-breaking loss to Northmont.
“Not get too high or too low, just know we had to execute and want it more," Smoot said. “It felt good to be able to go in and have the game I had tonight to bounce back from the last last week, just to come in and build our momentum back up and build our confidence back up to go on another run.”
Brown caught six passes for 69 yards and ran for 49 yards.
Titan Case caught seven passes for 105 yards for the Panthers, who finish the regular season at Fairmont next week.
Springfield travels to Beavercreek for Week 6, and both teams are set to begin the playoffs after that.
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