Springfield scored touchdowns on four straight snaps, not including the kickoff to start the second half. The first two touchdowns — a punt return by Da’Shawn Martin and a long run by Jayvin Norman — were called back by penalties.
After the penalties, with four seconds left in the first half, the Wildcats had one more play, and sophomore Deontre Long ran 34 yards for a touchdown to give the Wildcats a 21-0 lead.
“That was crazy,” Long said. “I’d like to thank my line for the opportunity to score a touchdown.”
Then on the first play of the second half, Long took off for a 60-yard touchdown run, his third of the game and seventh of the season. The Wildcats then rolled to a 49-0 victory to improve to 2-3 and even their Greater Western Ohio Conference record at 1-1. The final 16-plus minutes were played under a running clock.
Calvin Mitchell V, Ohio State commit Aaron Scott and Sherrod Lay Jr. added touchdowns in the second half.
Springfield, which had not won since beating Cleveland St. Ignatius 27-11 in Week 1, broke a three-game losing streak.
“We need this a lot,” Long said.
Long gained 131 yards on just six carries.
“He’s been doing really well in practice,” Douglass said. “He’s been rewarded for his work ethic.”
The Wildcats bounced back from two close losses. They lost 21-20 at Trotwood-Madison when a missed extra point cost it the chance to tie the game in the fourth quarter and lost 27-22 at Wayne last week when the Warriors returned a kickoff for a touchdown in the final seconds.
“At this point in the season, with us being 1-3,” Springfield coach Maurice Douglass said, “you’ve just got to do what you have to do. We’re just happy to get a W.”
Beavercreek (2-3, 0-2) played Springfield (2-3 overall) close for most of the first half. A fumble on a punt return by Beavercreek set Springfield up for its first score, a 4-yard touchdown run by Long in the first quarter. A 67-yard touchdown run by Norman extended Springfield’s lead to 14-0 with 1:18 left in the half.
Springfield beat Beavercreek for the eighth straight season. The Beavers last won 31-28 in 2016.
The Wildcats outgained the Beavers 426-46, holding them to three first downs. The Wildcats ran for 348 yards. Norman gained 112 yards on six carries.
Prior to the game, Springfield honored late assistant coach Danny Dellapina, who died at 52 in April.
“Coach Dell is known for always having an encouraging word to say as he pushed his students and players to be the very best version of themselves they could be,” public address announcer Doug Stoll said during a pregame ceremony. “Coach Dell’s words of encouragement, willingness to listen and his strong sense of Wildcat pride promoted him from a good coach to a great coach.”
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