TriStateFootball.com

Springfield falls in the finale

CANTON, Ohio – They were big, strong and fast up front and it showed on Friday night as St. Edward stymied Springfield up and down the offensive and defensive lines. In a rematch of last year’s Ohio Division I state finals the Eagles weren’t about to let Springfield avenge last seasons defeat. The reigning champions are going home with another trophy for their case.

Thing started off well for Springfield. The Wildcats got on the board first, on a one yard run by Jaivin Norman midway through the first quarter. It was all St. Edward after that.

The Eagles scored 21 unanswered points to end the half. They ruled the trenches on both sides of the ball. St. Edward put up 231 yards of total offense, 170 of those on the ground. Marvin Bell had 101 yards on 15 carries. Junior quarterback Casey Bell added 69 yards and 12 totes. Each had a rushing touchdown. The St. Edward defense was equally as stellar holding the Wildcats to 75 yards, allowed just one play over eight yards and had three sacks.

Springfield showed some life in the third quarter. The Wildcats went 70-yards in 18 plays finishing it off with a Bryce Schondelmyer 17-yard scoring pass to Daylen Bradley with 11 seconds left in the stanza and closing the gap to 21-14. They converted six third downs on the drive. The Cats had fought and clawed their way back into it.

St. Edward would answer with a smash-mouth drive of its own, going 78 yards in 10-plays. Bell punched it in from one yard out for his second touchdown. The senior finished with 170 yards on the ground.

The Eagles play in the trenches on both sides of the ball was just too much for Springfield. Senior Wyatt Gedeon and Michael Kilbane were in Schondelmyer’s grill all night long. Gedeon had three-and-a-half and Kilbane had three of the teams nine sacks. They held the Wildcats to 27 yards on 21 carries. The St. Edward o-line paved the way for 398 yards of total offense (296 rush). Bullock threw for 102 yards, ran for 101 yards with a passing and rushing touchdown.

Springfield would move the ball one last time in the fourth quarter for 10 plays but turned the ball over on downs. St. Edward ran the last 4:11 off the clock and register back-to-back state championships for the second time (2014-’15) and its sixth title in school history.

After the game Springfield head coach Moe Douglass lobbied for a level playing field for private and public schools. Making some very valid points:

The Springfield seniors walkaway as the most accomplished class the school has ever put on the field with four regional crowns and two state runner-up finishes. They went 46-8 in their careers.

SCORING BY QUARTERS
Springfield 7-0-7-0-14
St. Edward 7-14-0-7-28

SCORING PLAYS
SPF: Jaivin Norman 1 run (Sam Fralick kick)
STE: Kyan Mason 24 pass from Casey Bullock (Daniel Tome kick)
STE: Bullock 3 run (Tome kick)
STE: Marvin Bell 1 run (Tome kick)
SPF: Daylen Bradley 17 pass from Bryce Schondelmyer
STE: Bell 1 run (Tome kick)

RECORDS: Springfield (13-2); St. Edward (15-1)
Attendance: 7,317

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