Springfield routs Beavercreek for fourth straight victory

The Springfield High School senior returned the opening kickoff 56 yards, setting up the first touchdown in a 61-0 victory Friday against Beavercreek, and at halftime, he was crowned homecoming king. He walked to the locker room after Springfield's fourth straight victory wearing the crown.

The kickoff return set the tone on a dominant night for the Wildcats, who recorded their most lopsided victory since the new high school opened in 2008 and their highest points total since a 64-28 victory against Beavercreek in 2017.

"It was a great way to start the game off and get the offense going," Stephens said.

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Tay’Veon scored on a 7-yard touchdown run on the next play to give the Wildcats a 6-0 lead 21 seconds into the game. Te'Sean Smoot threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Minney three minutes later.

Tay'Veon Smoot added a 1-yard run with six minutes left in the first quarter, and the rout was on. Springfield led 27-0 after the first quarter and 54-0 at halftime.

"We're just trying to focus, trying to get better every week, trying to be special," Springfield coach Maurice Douglass said. "We've got a good group of kids who love each other. This is a family."

Only a running clock in the second half slowed down the Wildcats (5-1 overall), who improved to 2-0 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference American Division and beat the Beavers (2-4, 0-2) for the fourth straight season. Beavercreek lost its fourth straight game.

Tay'Veon Smoot finished with three rushing touchdowns and 97 yards on seven carries. Jeff Tolliver, who led Springfield with 103 rushing yards on five carries, also ran for three scores. Bryce Walker added a 21-yard touchdown run.

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Te’Sean Smoot completed 5 of 9 passes for 120 yards and threw a 21-yard touchdown pass to Jalen Minney and a 7-yard touchdown pass to James Wood II, who led the Wildcats with 99 receiving yards on four catches.

Through six games, Tay'Veon Smoot leads the Wildcats with nine rushing touchdowns. Tolliver has eight. Stephens has seven touchdown catches.

How do the Springfield coaches decide who gets the ball?

"We just say when you get it, you've got to max it out," Douglass said. "Our coaching staff did a great job of making sure the guys knew what they had in front of them. The Beavercreek coach, he's trying. We know they're going to come out with different type of trick plays and everything like that. We just wanted to be sound in every facet."

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Since losing 16-12 at home to Fairfield in Week 2, Springfield has won four games by double digits, though those four victories have come against four teams — Miamisburg, Northmont, Fairmont and Beavercreek — that have combined to win six games. A bigger test awaits next week. The Wildcats play at Springboro (6-0), one of two undefeated teams left in Division I, Region 2, in Week 7.

Springboro and Springfield rank fourth and fifth in the region, according to JoeEitel.com. Springfield and Springboro have not played since Springfield opened in 2008. Springboro beat Northmont 27-21 on Friday.

"They're playing good," Douglass said, "and we'll be ready when Friday comes."