Defense Comes Up Big Again in Spring-Ford’s Victory Over Cumberland Valley

Tagged under: District 1, District 3, Gameday Hub, News

TC Jones | October 30, 2020

Earlier in the week, during Spring-Ford head coach Chad Brubaker’s weekly segment on RamCountry TV, he expressed the need for the Rams offense to make more plays to help take some of the pressure off of the defensive. And in Friday night’s 20 -14 victory over the visiting Cumberland Valley Eagles, the Spring-Ford offense did just enough to make it happen, securing the number one seed in the District 1 6A playoffs.

But for the sixth consecutive week, it was the Rams stout defense that was the real star. Entering this evening’s game, Spring-Ford had only given up only 26 combined points. You read that right, just 26 points — an average of about five points per game. 

Cumberland Valley didn’t make it easy. The Eagles entered this evening’s contest with a deceiving 1-4 record, playing close games against quality competition. 

Though the Spring-Ford defense hadn’t given up a touchdown in the previous 3 games, Cumberland Valley struck first late in the first quarter on a bullet from quarterback Issac Sines to Gavin Conklin putting the Eagles ahead 7-0. 

One of the few times Spring-Ford trailed in a game this season, the Rams struck back on the next possession with a 9-possession 65-yard drive capped off by a touchdown by Andrew Yoon on an end-around on 4th-and-goal. Spring-Ford scored again later in the second quarter on another 4th and goal on a QB sneak by Ryan Freed. 

After the initial Cumberland Valley touchdown, the Spring-Ford defense held tough to the half with the teams heading to the locker rooms with the Rams holding a 14-7 one-possession lead. 

With both defenses standing strong during the third quarter and coming up with big stops on 4th downs and forcing punts, Spring-Ford finally struck again with a rushing touchdown by shifty junior running back Harry Adieyefeh, extending the Rams lead to 20-6 after a missed PAT. 

The Cumberland Valley offense would test the Rams defense late, scoring on a touchdown throw from Sines to J.D. Hunter on its first possession of the fourth quarter, cutting the Rams lead to 20-14. 

“Our defense has really held it together for us during the times the offense has struggled,” Coach Brubaker remarked in a somewhat prophetic statement earlier in the week. “Our secondary has put a lot of pressure on opposing teams to make perfect throws or our guys will knock it away or intercept it.” 

With the Spring-Ford offense sputtering late in the game, the Rams defense would be the deciding factor. Though the crowd was limited due to COVID precautions, the fans in attendance were loud; their raucous energy shaking the bleachers. 

And that energy carried over to the field; with less than five minutes left in the game, a pass break up by corner Nick Teets followed by an incompletion by Sines caused an Eagles turnover on downs. 

But with the Spring-Ford offense again not able to move the ball, the Eagles offense was given a final chance with less than three minutes remaining. But on an underthrown downfield pass by Sines, Nick Teets again came up with a huge defensive play, this time an interception, sealing the Spring-Ford victory.

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