Springfield-Montco Stuns Elizabethtown in Dramatic Fashion
Tagged under: District 1, District 3, Gameday Hub, News, pfn
Phil Myers | September 15, 2024
Character builds tradition, it builds winning attitudes, and when things start to go south, character can rescue you from a freefall that spirals out of control. Coach Chris Shelly of the Springfield-Montco Spartans said this game was a character builder for his team. Playing in the hot sun Saturday afternoon in Elizabethtown, the Springfield-Montco football team came together when it was needed the most to edge the Bears, 24-21, on a field goal with 9 seconds remaining in regulation.
This was one of the better high school football games you’ll see as the momentum of the game took a 180-degree shift. Just when it looked as though the game would go to overtime and Elizabethtown with the momentum would probably win, Springfield-Montco’s 3rd team quarterback and a freshman receiver made a play to get the Spartans into field goal position.
Why was Springfield-Montco down to their 3rd quarterback? Coach Shelly said, “Unfortunately Jack (McGuckin), one of our best players, got a hip pointer. So, when he went down, we plan for contingencies, our next best athlete is senior Bobby Hartman and he was hit with cramps. We were having problems with the snap. We work on it but sometimes, you know when you are doing it in practice, it doesn’t seem like a game.” By my unofficial count, the Spartans fumbled 9 times recovering all but one, including 4 in a row at one point.
McGuckin was QB for most of the first half and he helped his team build a 21-0 lead over the Elizabethtown eleven. Those three touchdowns all came on the Spartans’ first three possessions. McGuckin completed 5 of 9 passes for 139 yards and a touchdown, plus he tucked the ball and ran for 48 yards on just 6 carries.
Two of the Spartan three TDs came from CJ Johnson sandwiched around teammate Theo Ferragame’s 1-yard plunge. Johnson scored the game’s first touchdown on an apparent shovel pass from McGuckin, then took a pitch around the left side for his second score, a 4-yard run. Johnson’s second touchdown put Springfield Township Montgomery County up 21-0 with 9:38 still left in the second quarter.
CJ Johnson #10 of Springfield-Montco scores his 2nd TD of the game yesterday giving his team a 21-0 lead at the time over Elizabethtown. Springfield would need a FG with 9 seconds left to win the gale 24-21. @PaFootballNews @STHSSpartans pic.twitter.com/pGhscIeTZx
— Phil Myers Sr. (@Protime_PFN) September 15, 2024
Even though the visitors lost their quarterback, the Bears get credit here too. Most teams would have folded the tents and called in the final, but Elizabethtown changed some things and gradually fought back. Elizabethtown now falls to 0-4, but they have been in every game and with a bit of luck, they’d be 4-0 instead.
By halftime Elizabethtown had scored and trailed 21-7. That came on a very weird play where Brayden Huber’s pass was tipped by a defender that bounced off another defender’s helmet and was caught by E’town’s Calvin Conteh who raced into the end zone to complete a 33-yard touchdown throw.
The defensive adjustments and tenacity of the Bear ‘D’ was instrumental in the comeback because Springfield-Montco only gained 48 yards on 6 possessions from two minutes before the half until their very last drive of the game that set up the winning field goal.
The Springfield-Montco defense was smothering at times and late in the third quarter Elizabthtown face a 3rd and 10 from their 42. Springfield Twp. seemed to blitz and was caught when backup quarterback, Gannon Shank, tossed a middle screen to Jacob Engle who was all alone. Engle pretty much had clear sailing to score the Bears’ second touchdown. But the point after was blocked and Elizabethtown was down 21-13 with 56 seconds left in the third.
As the teams battled each other and for precious field position in the fourth quarter, Elizabethtown got a decent start at their own 37 with 8:03 on the clock. Facing a 4th and 8 at the Spartan 38, after converting a fourth down on the same drive, the Bears got a first down at the 23 thanks to a roughing the passer call. On the next play Shank led Brady Moran who made a fingertip grab in the end zone to pull E’town within two at 21-19.
Shank again hit Moran with a swing pass to convert the two-point attempt and tie the game with two and a half minutes remaining. “They don’t play like an 0-3 team” stated Coach Shelly. It looked as though overtime was looming, but Springfield-Montco had other ideas.
Moran with 2-pt. Conversion for E’town. @PaFootballNews @EASDAthletics pic.twitter.com/Cj33gpyJ6M
— Phil Myers Sr. (@Protime_PFN) September 14, 2024
After a nice kick return to the 44, Coach Shelly decided to run on first down to set up a play action pass. Then the 3rd team quarterback, Gus May, lobbed a pass down the right sideline that Mekhi Paschall went up and pulled down past the defender for a 34-yard gain.
Two plays later, Bobby Hartman, who has quite a leg, kicked the game-winning 30-yard field goal. “What a performance, what an effort by our kids,” declared a very happy Coach Shelly, “It could have easily went the other way. Give those guys credit for coming back. But Gus May, the sophomore quarterback, hits a freshman receiver down the sideline. A freshman receiver! That kid’s special, Mehki Paschall. He’s special. But I’m going to tell you what, Gus May is special too.”
Coach Shelly talked about the field goal by saying this, “I never used to kick field goals. But we have a guy this year who can do it. Jack McGuckin came back into the game to hold that snap even though his hip was killing him. The snap was great. The hold was great. And the blocking was great up front.” It should be noted that Bobby Hartman kicked the field goal even though he’d been dealing with cramps.
Springfield-Montco is now 3-1 with the only loss coming to state ranked Pope John Paul II by a touchdown. The Spartans outgained the Elizabethtown Bears 336 yards to 292 yards with the bulk of their yards coming in the first half. Shank led the Bears by passing for 110 yards and two touchdowns. He did throw an interception.
It was noted that Elizabethtown’s coach, Keith Stokes, likes to gamble as the Bears went for it on fourth down six times during the game and four of those were in their own territory.
Score by Quarters:
Springfield-Montco – 14 7 0 3 – 24
Elizabethtown – 0 7 6 8 – 21
Scoring Summary:
First Quarter:
SM – CJ Johnson 39-yard pass from Jack McGuckin, (Bobby Hartman PAT), 9:21
SM – Theo Ferragame 1-yard run, (Hartman PAT), 5:14
Second Quarter:
SM – Johnson 4-yard run, (Hartman PAT), 9:38
E – Calvin Conteh 33-yard pass from Brayden Huber, (Caleb Fuge PAT), 5:31
Third Quarter:
E – Jacob Engle 58-yard pass from Gannon Shank, (PAT blocked), 0:56
Fourth Quarter:
E – Brady Moran 23-yard pass from Shank, (2-pt conversion, Moran pass from Shank), 2:39
SM – Hartman 30-yard field goal, 0:09
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