The first score came on the first possession and second play of the game, which went to the Bears. From their own 46-yard line, the Bears got a 22 yard quarterback keeper from Jaxon Smith, then a 31-yard run from running back T.J. Tipton for a touchdown. The conversion attempt was no good, but the score was 6-0 Spring Hill after less than a minute of play.
Spring Hill’s Alex Arriaga boomed his kickoff which was only returned by Augusta to the Devils’ own 14 yard line. Augusta’s offense got to work, with a 12-yard run from its running back, moving the chains to the 26. The subsequent first down running attempt was stuffed, but the next, also a handoff to the running back, got six yards to set up a third and four that Augusta converted with just enough yards.
The next play, from the Augusta 26, saw the Red Devils fumble with Spring Hill defender Mason Moore recovering the football at the August 31, making for excellent field position. But the Bears offense stalled, was penalized for a false start when going for it on fourth and ten and punted at fourth and fifteen, the ball going into the end zone for a touchback. At 6:42 left in the first quarter, it was still 6-0 Spring Hill.
Augusta’s second possession would see them get to their own 34 only to fumble again on a handoff attempt to their running back. This time Spring Hill’s Gavin Smith recovered the fumble.
Another false start by Spring Hill would send them back to 40-yard line of Augusta. Two runs by T.J. Vickers would recover the loss and close the distance to the end zone so the Bears got a first and ten on the Augusta 25. Another Jaxon Smith keeper got the ball to the six. On the next play, T.J. Tipton cashed in with a run to the endzone after a handoff that broke about two tackles. But the conversion attempt was again no good. The score at a little over two minutes left in the first quarter was 12-0 Spring Hill.
Augusta would score on its next possession after several good runs and one short pass. A quarterback keeper by Clinton Mead from the Spring Hill 14 would reach the end zone. But the conversion attempt failed. The score with about ten minutes left in the second quarter stood at 12-6.
Augusta tried an on-side kick here, which Spring Hill’s Blaine Tuttle caught at the 48 of Spring Hill. The Bears offense only needed three plays to score. Their first-down play on an option pitch got the ball to the Augusta 28. The next play, for Tipton, netted four yards. But the second and six handoff to Tipton resulted in a spectacular hard-fought run as Tipton spun from the grasp of several would-be tacklers to escape into the end zone.
The first conversion attempt was penalized with Spring Hill having to walk five yards backward. But the next attempt was a spectacular Zane Minton run. He took a pitch from Smith and appeared to be on his way to being stopped for a loss on the far right of the offense but sped toward the middle for the two points. The score stood 20-6 with 7:30 left in the half.
Augusta’s third fumble of the game would happen at this point, but Augusta did recover it. Unfortunately for the Red Devils, it was part of a three and out possession ending in fourth and fifteen punt returned to Augusta’s 43. In two plays, Spring Hill would score another touchdown on a Jaxon Smith run. The conversion attempt was a run by Tipton that got into the end zone. With five minutes left in the half, Spring Hill was up 28-6.
The Bears then kicked off and kept the Devils to a three-and-out. Returning a punt to the 50, Spring Hill would then mount a drive that ended in another touchdown, bringing the score to 34-6 with the conversion attempt unsuccessful. The bottom would fall out of the game after Spring Hill’s kickoff. A would-be returner from Augusta touched the ball but lost it, resulting in Spring Hill getting the ball on the Augusta 26. Three plays later, Smith passed to Blaine Tuttle for a touchdown from the Augusta 23. The score would be 42-6. The half ticked away as Augusta returned the ball to their own 30 on the subsequent Spring Hill kickoff.
At half-time, the Varsity Cheerleaders were introduced and the undefeated elementary and junior high football teams took the field in their uniforms to be applauded by the crowd.
In the second half with the clock running continuously, the only score would be by Augusta on a respectable drive on their first possession of the third quarter. Spring Hill would get possession after an onside kick and run the clock down to the end.
After the game, Spring Hill Coach Greg Smith was asked what he saw in his team’s performance tonight. “We went out and just did what we do,” he said. But he had praise for the Red Devils, too. “Augusta is a good football team. I mean, a lot of folks might not see that in the score that they're looking at, through their history, but they're a good football team. And their boys play hard. We're thankful that they answered the call to come back and play this game. So you know, blessings and kudos out to them for what they did.”
The victory allows the Bears to move on to their first-even eight-man championship game to be played against the undefeated Rector Cougars, who awaited the winner of Friday night’s game in Spring Hill after defeating Izard County 62-40 a week ago. The game is scheduled to kick off in War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock at 7:00 p.m. Thursday November 30th.