For the last 12 years the Springfield vs Lowellville meetings have been very one sided In 2021: Springfield wins, 54-6. In 2020: Springfield wins, 62-18. In 2019, Springfield won, 49-0. 2018: 58-6. Another blowout in 2017, Springfield, 37 to 0. The list goes on, all the way to 2010, where we beat them.
Prior to the game, I was in the locker room with all of my teammates, and everyone looked ready to play. My mind was thinking about what we needed to do to win over our rival. We finally got onto the field, warmups were good and everyone looked ready. After that we went back to the locker room waiting for the start of what seemed like a forever game to start. We got onto the field and awaited the playing of the national anthem. During the first drive we scored, and we scored on a hitch to Brady Bunofsky, who made a big run after catch. Were we finally going to turn this rivalry around?
The Tigers didn’t quit, scoring a touchdown by Vinnie Woods plowing into the endzone. There were two more scores, one by each team, which made the score 16-15. At halftime I was anxiously waiting for the second half when suddenly Coach Mamula barged into the locker room and told us to not give up in the second half.
As the second half came around Springfield had the ball in their territory and they were still driving. But we stayed in it and made big plays when we needed to. After that very much needed stop, we got the ball and started throwing all over them. We eventually made it to the end zone with a strong run from Santino-Rivera Ocasio for six. This made the score 23-16, Lowellville. Springfield stalled for the second time in a row. We came right back and scored from a roll out to the left side and a dime from Vinnie to Brady Bunofsky on the sideline. This made the score 29-16, Lowellville.
Springfield was not giving up and kept having success with the running game as they ran it down our throat all the way down the field to make the score 29-24 Lowellville. After Springfield scored we got the ball and their defense finally stopped us.
I was super anxious that they would end the third quarter still in the lead. Vinnie Ballone stepped up again and made a big play intercepting Springfield’s QB and for our next play we had the ball Ballone threw a bomb to junior, Matt Lucido. The score was 35-24 Lowellville. At the end Springfield tried to put together a drive but again our stout defense held them close to the fifty yard line. We put the dagger in them with a boot and a pass to the right side making the score 42-24 Lowellville Rockets. After that all I was thinking to myself was “we beat the Springfield Tigers!” Everyone was jumping up and down with joy! We have finally beat the Springfield Tigers and I was part of the team that made it happen.