Springwood falls short on Senior Night
BY ROB DAVIS
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LANETT — Southern Prep pulled away in the second half to spoil Senior Night for the Springwood Wildcats and claimed a 32-22 victory in a AISA 8-Man match-up Friday night at Wildcat stadium.
A sea of magenta welcomed representatives from T-Mobile who sponsored the game as part of the company’s Friday Night 5G Lights contest. Springwood was presented with a $25,000 check at half-time for making it to the final round of 25 schools with a chance to win $1,000,000 for a complete stadium makeover.
The Wildcats used the home crowd to their advantage early in the contest, driving 48 yards for the game’s first score. Highlighted by a 33-yard pass play from Adam Baltes to Lucas Albani, it was running back Tucker Slides who took it in from 5 yards out for the touchdown.
The Rangers responded on the following drive as Brayden Pace connected with receiver Ja’Quez Jones on a 30-yard pass play to even the score at 6.
“I think execution was the key for us tonight,” Southern Prep head coach J.R. Rodriguez said. “It took us a while to get going, but once we started executing, we were able to have some success.”
Following a targeting call against the Rangers, Springwood found themselves with a first and goal from the 8-yard line. Two plays later Remi Gauntt used his quick reflexes to haul in a deflected pass from Baltes to put the Wildcats back on top.
After converting on fourth and one, Southern Prep tied the score again when Jones took a reverse around the left side untouched for a 39-yard touchdown, making the score 12-12 at the half.
“We saw some things that we thought we could take advantage of,” Springwood head coach Joey Burch said. “Our guys played hard in the second half. We just came up a little short.”
The Wildcats scored on a safety late in the third quarter, but an interception by Jackson Weston gave the Rangers a first down inside the Wildcats 20-yard line. Southern Prep would take the lead for good when Pace scrambled in from 13 yards out.
“I’ve got 14 guys on the entire roster,” Rodriguez said. “We just Iron Man it. Guys playing both sides of the ball the entire game and it’s been that way the whole season. I’m just so proud of these guys. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Southern Prep extended their lead at the end of the third quarter when Leon DiMauro scooped up a Wildcat fumble and raced 55 yards for a touchdown. The Wildcats responded with a touchdown of their own as Sides rushed it in from five yards out with 6:47 remaining in the game.
However, that would be as close as the Wildcats would get as the Rangers iced the game with 2:18 remaining when Braden Evans scored from two yards out. Jackson Weston added the extra point to make the final score 32-22.
“I’m just so proud of these kids,” Burch said. “We’ve had a bunch of injuries, but they haven’t let that get them down. We’re playing a bunch of young inexperienced kids, and they continue to get better each week.”
With the loss Springwood drops to 3-6 on the season.
The Wildcats will face Snook Christian Academy this Friday. Southern Prep also stands at 3-6 and will take on Ezekiel Academy.
