High School Football: Lay, Wallace connect for three TDs as Springfield blanks Centerville 35-0

Springfield's Sherrod Lay Jr. (#2) runs with the ball as Centerville's Mason Boykin (#11) tries to tackle him during a game on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Springfield High School. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

Springfield's Sherrod Lay Jr. (#2) runs with the ball as Centerville's Mason Boykin (#11) tries to tackle him during a game on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Springfield High School. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

Springfield High School senior Sherrod Lay, Jr. caught three TD passes from junior quarterback CJ Wallace and the defense caused five turnovers as the Wildcats blanked rival Centerville 35-0 in a Greater Western Ohio Conference game on Friday night at Wildcat Stadium.

Lay caught seven passes for 89 yards and three scores, while Wildcats senior Deontre Long rushed for 124 yards and a TD on 22 carries. Wallace was nearly perfect, going 21-for-23 for 253 yards and three TD passes for Springfield, which improved to 2-3 and 2-0 the GWOC this season. They travel to Springboro next week.

Parker Johnson rushed for 71 yards on 25 carries for Centerville, which fell to 0-5 and 0-2 in the conference for the first time since 2018. The Elks host Beavercreek next week.

Springfield's Christopher Wallace (#7) runs with the ball as Centerville's Levi Anderson (#30) tries to tackle him during a game on Friday, September 19, 2025, at Springfield High School. JOSEPH COOKE/STAFF

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Springfield drove deep into Centerville territory twice in the first half, but couldn’t break through until about five minutes remaining in the second quarter.

After Springfield sophomore Amileo Norvell, Jr. recovered a fumble, Wallace found Lay on an 11-yard pass to give the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.

Springfield junior Jahmiere Daniels intercepted a pass with a 1:36 remaining, setting up another 23-yard TD pass from Wallace to Lay to make it 14-0 at the half.

Long scored on a 1-yard run with 1:24 to go in the third quarter to make it 21-0.

Credit: JOSEPH COOKE

In the fourth quarter, Christopher Summers, Jr. scored on a 1-yard run and Wallace found Lay for a 30-yard TD pass to make it 35-0.

Daniels, senior Charles Cunningham and senior Jack Walker Cherry each had interceptions, while Norvell, Jr. and freshman Tayjuan Wright recovered fumbles for Springfield’s defense, which shut out its opponent for the second straight week.

Springfield beat Centerville for the second straight season and ninth time in eight years, including playoff games. The Wildcats beat the Elks 17-3 last season, causing six turnovers in the victory.

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