The game began with a scoreless first quarter. But the Bulldogs got the scoring started on the first play of the second when it returned a punt for a touchdown. A conversion attempt failed, making the score 6-0 Strong.
The next drive was Spring Hill’s, and included heavy doses of the Bears’ star running back T.J. Tipton. But the touchdown was scored by Zane Minton who took a toss to the right to the end zone, breaking a tackle on the way in from the Strong 9. The conversion attempt was no good so the score remained tied at 6-6 with about seven minutes left in the second quarter.
In Strong’s next drive, the Bears forced a three and out. The punt was returned to the Bears’ own 44. Spring Hill would stage a drive here that capitalized on more heavy running by Tipton, by Minton and by quarterback Jaxon Smith. The touchdown was scored on a pass from Smith to Levin McGuire from the Strong five-yard line. Smith would find McGuire again for the two-point conversion. The score was 14-6 as the second quarter expired after Spring Hill kicked off and tackled the return man.
During halftime, the home crowd got to meet the Pee Wee Football cheerleaders and football players, which includes youngsters up to sixth grade.
The second half, unfortunately for the Bears, was a tale of untimely turnovers resulting in two Strong Bulldogs touchdowns. The Bulldogs received the kick and got some productive running, one play going for 20 yards and the drive coming as close as the Spring Hill eight-yard line. But three false start penalties and two fumbles recovered for losses resulted in a Strong turnover on downs after a failed fourth and goal from the 20 passing play. With 6:17 left in the third quarter, Spring Hill got the ball on the Spring Hill 20 yard line.
This drive would begin again with doses of Tipton, whose runs got the ball to the Strong 40. But a fumble on a quarterback keeper on a third and three play gave Strong the ball back. On a second and nine play on the Spring Hill 46, an eight yard gain for Strong appeared to end the quarter as no time-out was called after the play.
But for some reason, referees requested a correction after the time ticked down to zero. Two seconds were placed back on the clock. On third and one, Strong broke a running play that seemed to catch the Bears off guard and went to the end zone for six. The conversion was unsuccessful but the Bulldogs had started their comeback with the score 14-12.
In the fourth quarter, Spring Hill started its drive after a kickoff return to its own 40. A false start penalty on a second and four pulled them back. The next play, a second and nine, proved the most important of the game, with the Bears fumbling on a handoff, the ball finding its way to a Strong defender who blazed the 59 yards to the Spring Hill endzone to take the lead for the Bulldogs. The score was 18-14 after a failed conversion attempt by Strong with 10:46 left in the fourth.
Spring Hill’s defense kept Strong from scoring the rest of the way, and its offense got three more possessions, the first ending with another fumble from a handoff that occurred with 6:10 left, the second with a fourth and eight incomplete pass and turnover on downs, the third with a Hail Mary caught at mid-field, lateraled to another Spring Hill receiver and then fumbled as time expired.
The loss drops Spring Hill to 6-3 overall and 4-2 in the conference, while Strong remains undefeated at 7-0 overall and 5-0 in the conference. Spring Hill’s next and last regular season game is on November 3rd against the 4-3 (2-2) Woodlawn Bears in Rison with kickoff at 7:00 p.m.
