Panthers fall to 2-2 after rout

SPRINGFIELD— For the second week in a row, Springfield built up a three-touchdown lead in the first half.

This time there was no looking back for the Wildcats, who blew out Springboro 41- 0 to bounce back from a 38-35 loss to Northmont.

“Last week we didn’t finish, and therefore we lost a game we shouldn’t have lost,” Springfield coachMaurice 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.”

Therewasnodisputingthat after theWildcats scored in every quarter to improve to 4-1with oneweek left before the playoffs are set to begin.

“Idon’tlikelosing toNorthmont, period, but that loss was good for us,” Douglass said. “God says he resists the proudbut will exalt thehumble. Sometimes you have to havethathumility. Weneeded that so itwas 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) from 9 yards out.

The Wildcats got the ball backinprimeterritorythanks to a long punt return by Dovon Williams, and they tookadvantagewhenTe’Sean Smootlofteda fadetoBrown, whooutfought adefender for a 15-yard touchdown catch.

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 signal caller made it a three-touchdownpass night when he found Brown over the middle from28 yards out midway through the third.

Not that he was done. Smoot added another score with a6-yardtouchdownrun with 5:43 to go in the fourth quarter.

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.