Findlay rushes past Springfield on Senior Night

FINDLAY – The color scheme was the same.So was the monogrammed 'F' on the helmet and the nickname 'Trojans' on the front of the jerseys.At Donnell Stadium on Friday, though, fans may have noticed something different about this Findlay High football team.For the second straight game, Findlay, a program that has always embraced and made good use of the spread offense, had less than 80 yards passing.For the second straight game, Findlay had over 200 yards rushing.And while the offensive script may have been flipped, the storyline led to the same conclusion with Findlay earning a second straight win, 28-7, over Springfield in a Senior Night Northern Lakes League cross-over game."Doing this on Senior Night, with all these fans here supporting us, this is great," said Miles Bailey, a senior running back/linebacker who twice stepped in at quarterback in the Wildcat Formation and plowed his way for two touchdowns."We worked on it (the Wildcats) all this week. We found a way to win. That makes all the hard work worth it."Bailey finished with 36 yards on six carries, including two 4-yard TD runs. The first came 3:31 into the game after Will Hammer's hit separated Springfield receiver Rah'Mielle Martin from the football and Sebastian Brankamp recovered the fumble at the Blue Devils' 28. Senior speedster Shawn Hines III gained 21 yards to the 7 and Bailey punched it in two plays later."We're doing things that look a little different this year than they have in the past," FHS coach Stefan Adams said after Findlay improved to 2-1 on the season."With the Wildcat, we're just trying to generate some offense. I think it's clear right now we have to lean on our offensive line and our run game. That's a change for us, but that's what our strength is right now so we want to try to keep it going the best we can."Hines had 77 yards on 10 carries, with quarterback Bishop Pfister adding 54 yards on the ground. Ramier Williams gained 34 yards and scored Findlay's fourth TD of the night, a 1-yard dive after Bailey, who also had six tackles on defense, intercepted a pass with 4:32 on the clock.Hines highlighted his night with a scintillating 62-yard punt return that put Findlay up 14-0 late in the first quarter. Hines hauled in the kick on the far sideline, swept right across the field, picked a couple of key blocks that got him to the corner and he was gone.Findlay's 14-0 lead would have been a momentum-sapping deficit for Springfield to take to the locker room, but it didn't last. One Findlay possession ended with an interception, another with a three-and-out punt and Springfield had enough time on the clock (2:14), got some unexpected help (a pass interference call) and a big play (Logan Goodrick's 22-yard pass to Gabrial Gregory) to move right down the field. Gregory capped the drive with a tush-push TD from 2 yards out with 28 second left in the half.Springfield continued to move the ball in the second half, hitting quick outs and swing passes and letting its quick, shifty receivers juke their way for considerable yards-after-catch success. Findlay's defense, the difference in last week's 17-7 win over Lima Senior, stepped up once again, though.Senior defensive back Maysen Hertick snuffed one drive with an interception at the 11. Findlay also benefitted from a shanked 18-yard punt, setting up a 37-yard drive capped by Bailey's second 4-yard burst in the Wildcat formation."Findlay played really hard. They were fighting and they outplayed us," Springfield coach Sam Arredondo said after the Blue Devils suffered their first loss in three games."It's not the result we wanted, but tomorrow we have to get back to work and keep moving forward."Defensively, Trace'son Hyde led the Trojans with seven tackles and had one of Findlay's two sacks.Bailey and Brankamp both had six tackles, Lance Miller, Hammer and Xavian Garcia all had five. Hudson Yeager had four and Alex Gonzalez had three tackles and a sack.Findlay hits the road next week to face Sylvania Southview, which fell to 1-2 with Friday's 48-0 loss to Toledo Whitmer. Springfield hosts Perrysburg (2-1). Springfield 0 7 0 0—7Findlay 14 0 0 14—28First QuarterFIN – Bailey 4 run (Geiser kick)FIN – Hines 62 punt return (Geiser kick) Second QuarterSPR – Gregory 2 run (Goodrick kick) Fourth QuarterFIN – Bailey 4 run (Geiser kick)FIN – Williams 1 run (Geiser kick) FIN SPRFirst Downs 17 14Rushes-yards 38-222 28-71Passing Yards 71 162Comp-Att-Int 7-15-2 16-33-2Punts-Avg. 3-40.7 3-36.0Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-1Penalties-Yards 4-45 2-10INDIVIDUAL STATISTICSRUSHING – Findlay, Miller 3-6, Williams 6-34, Pfister 8-54, Hines 10-77, Lane 4-96, Bailey 6-36, Smith 1-6. Springfield, Goodrick 5-(-5), Gregory 22-77PASSING – Findlay, Richards 2-8-0, 40 yards; Pfister 5-7-2, 31yards. Springfield, Goodrick 16-33-2, 162 yards.RECEIVING – Findlay, Imke 1-4, Montgomery 3-56, Scott 2-4, Hines 1-2. Springfield, Martin 4-34, Johnson 4-48, Jackson 2-14, Wright 6-66.Game stats courtesy of Jim Welch