Springfield lost to St. Xavier 30-7, falling to 0-1 on the season.
The lone touchdown for the Wildcats came with 7:38 remaining when Titus Montgomery intercepted St. Xavier quarterback Nicholas Sullivan’s pass and returned it 77 yards for a touchdown.
The Bombers (1-0) took an early 2-0 lead when Wildcats quarterback Chris Wallace was sacked in the end zone by St. X linebacker Nathan Gerbus for a safety.
On the ensuing punt, the Wildcats held the Bombers, but were pinned deep in their own territory when St. Xavier punter Dominic Iori punted the ball out of bounds at the 5-yard line.
After a three-and-out by Springfield, the Bombers’ David Braswell returned the punt to the 17-yard line. Six plays later, Griffin Dolle plunged into the end zone to make it 9-0.
With 5:44 remaining in the second quarter, Dolle hit junior Trey Kilgore from 34 yards to make it 16-0.
The Bombers scored again with 2:14 left on a 7-yard TD run by Conor Hundley.
The Wildcats struggled in the field possession game, moving across the 50-yard line just one time in the first half.
In the second half, the Wildcats defense held on fourth-and-1 from their own 11, keeping St. Xavier out of the end zone. In the fourth quarter, however, Dolle hit Evan Ballinger on a 33-yard TD pass.
Springfield faces Upper Arlington next Sunday in the Kirk Herbstreit Kickoff Classic. The game will be nationally televised by ESPNU.
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