SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Twp. football team embraces the underdog mentality.
Even with the higher-ranked number next to their name, the Spartans came into Friday night’s District 1 Class 4A semifinal against Bishop Shanahan with a chip on its shoulder that was palpable in their play.
All-league snubs for a few of coach Chris Shelly’s “Dudes” added even more motivation to a gritty squad that was trying to keep a special season alive.
The result was No. 2 Springfield Twp. powering past No. 3 Bishop Shanahan, 42-21, to reach the program’s first district title game since 2015, where reigning champion and top seed Pope John Paul II awaits
“I’m kind of speechless,” senior wide receiver and defensive back Bobby Hartman said. “We put so much work in, especially this week with all that disrespect and I’m just proud of everyone on our team.”
The Spartans (9-2) stuck to a strategy that has helped them pile up the program’s most wins since 2011. That is getting the ball into the hands of CJ Johnson and letting him run behind the likes of seniors Bryce McManus, Peyton Marcino, Nick Formoso and Dom Devers and junior Tommy Ryan up front. They’ve been doing that since sharing the JV field together and even before.
Springfield ran for 362 yards and six touchdowns. Johnson toted the rock 26 times for 250 yards and four scores, while senior quarterback Jack McGuckin pitched in with 18 carries for 90 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
“We just ran the ball down their throats like we always do,” said Johnson, one of 19 seniors on the team. “It’s definitely our M-O.”
“If that wasn’t clear already,” McGuckin added.
Springfield opened the game with an onside kick but couldn’t turn the momentum play into points. Instead Shanahan (8-3) struck first when Anthony Aquila tossed an 89-yard touchdown pass to Aidan Civitella with 8:09 left in the first quarter.
The Spartans defense kept the Eagles quiet after the big play, letting the offense, particularly Johnson take over. He rushed 14 times for 120 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone, leading Springfield to 21 unanswered points after the early Shanahan score.
Johnson punched in a one-yard TD run to tie the game 7-7 with 4:22 left in the first. A seven-yard score gave Springfield a 14-7 lead with 10:48 left in the second quarter and scored a 23-yard touchdown with 5:28 left in the half.
“It’s the running game,” Bishop Shanahan coach Paul Meyers said of the momentum shift in the game. “We knew they were gonna come right at us and our coaches made some adjustments, but it just wasn’t enough.”
The Spartans appeared to have a stranglehold on the game when they picked off a pass on Shanahan’s ensuing drive and then converted a fourth down in their own end. But the Eagles forced a punt and a 38-yard touchdown run from Julian Haylock with 1:51 left in the half made it 21-13 heading into the break.
After breaking off a big run, Johnson fumbled on Springfield’s opening drive of the second half, cracking open the door even wider for a potential Eagles comeback. McGuckin shut that door quickly though, picking up his teammate with an interception on the ensuing drive and running in a four-yard score to extend the lead back to two touchdowns, 28-13, with 7:39 left in the third.
Hartman added another pick, one of two for him in the game, to help set up a Johnson 32-yard touchdown run with 4:05 left and extend the lead to 35-13. Shanahan turned the ball over four times in the game compared to just the early fumble for Springfield.
“Knowing who they wanted to go to was helping us out,” McGuckin said of creating turnovers.
Haylock was able to get Shanahan back on the board with a 19-yard touchdown before the end of the third. He finished with 17 carries for 116 yards and two touchdowns.
The big defensive plays by McGuckin and Hartman, however, proved too much to overcome. A Johnson 53-yard run followed by McGuckin’s second touchdown run put the final nail in the coffin with 6:35 to play.
Friday night’s loss ended a historic season for Shanahan. The Eagles won their first Chess-Mont championship, finishing atop the North Division with wins over powers Downingtown West and Coatesville. They’ll miss their seven seniors, who Meyers said helped bring the younger players along for a banner year.
“We made history,” Meyers said. “We beat some of those schools that we play, they’re all 6As, win the Ches-Mont title for the first time in school history. I told them, keep their heads up. They have a lot to be proud of.”
Shelly had teams win titles in 2011 and 2014. He knew before the season he had a group capable of joining those elite ranks — and they’re almost there.
Standing in the Spartans’ way of a District 1-4A championship is a familiar opponent in reigning champion Pope John Paul II.
Shelly’s team dropped a 34-27 defeat to the Golden Panthers in their season opener — a contest that proved to a team that went 3-6 last year that they could hang with the best of the best.
Another matchup with PJP has been on their minds since.
“First game, first week, we lost to that team by a touchdown, and we want it back,” Johnson said. “We definitely want it back.”
Bishop Shanahan 7 6 8 0-21
Springfield Twp. 7 14 14 7-42
Individual Scoring
First Quarter
BS: Aidan Civitella 88 pass from Anthony Aquila (Sal Debellis kick)
SF: CJ Johnson 1 run (Bobby Hartman kick) 2:28
Second Quarter
SF: CJ Johnson 7 run (Bobby Hartman kick) 10:48
SF: CJ Johnson 23 run (Bobby Hartman kick) 5:28
BS: Julian Haylock 38 run (Kick blocked) 1:51
Third Quarter
SF: Jack McGuckin 4 run (Bobby Hartman kick) 7:39
SF: CJ Johnson 32 run (Bobby Hartman kick) 4:05
BS: Julian Haylock 19 run (Anthony Aquila run) 1:06
Fourth Quarter
SF: Jack McGuckin 2 run (Bobby Hartman kick) 6:35
Team Statistics
……………………….BS………………SF
1st downs………..9…………………23
rush-yds……….32-178……….49-362
comp-att-int….4-11-3…………..10-14-0
pass yds……….114………………96
total yds…………292……………….458
fumb-lost……..2-1………………1-1
pen-yds…………3-15…………..11-60
Individual Statistics
Rushing- Bishop Shanahan: Julian Haylock 17-116, 2 TDs; Anthony Aquila 11-54; Nate Bracken 2-10; Donald Belfie 1-(-5).
Springfield: CJ Johnson 26-250, 4 TDs; Jack McGuckin 18-90, 2 TDs; Theo Ferragame 3-13; Mekhi Paschall 1-5; Bobby Hartman 1-4.
Passing- Bishop Shanahan: Anthony Aquila 4-10-3, 114 yards, TD.
Springfield: Jack McGuckin 10-13-0, 96 yards.
Receiving- Bishop Shanahan: Aidan Civitella 2-101, TD; Nate Bracken 1-10; Sam Conte 1-3.
SpringField: Bobby Hartman 3-43; CJ Johnson 4-35; Mekhi Paschal 3-18.
Interceptions: Springfield: Jack McGuckin, Bobby Hartman 2.
Sacks: Bishop Shanahan: Chase Riccardo; Springfield: CJ Johnson.
One Response
Spartans are a solid team, fun to watch and I can’t wait to see them play next week as well.