SPRING HILL – The Springstead football team that walked onto their home field at Booster Stadium Friday night was not the same team that got their heads handed to them the first game of the year, a 42-14 loss to Citrus.

The Citrus football team that walked onto that same field Friday night was not the same team that dominated all season, including that drubbing they handed Springstead in week one.

Friday’s 6A-Region II quarterfinal, a surprising 21-6 win for Springstead, showed the Eagles have come a long way from getting embarrassed on Aug.30. For the Hurricanes it proved that a lack of execution and lack of disciple for just one game can ruin a season.

Citrus (9-2) came into Friday’s game averaging 37 points a game. Three times this season the Hurricanes hung 50 or more points on the board. Their lowest point total came all the way back in week 2 at Dunnellon, 14.

The Eagles front seven wrecked havoc all night containing the Citrus high-powered rush attack of quarterback Deion Moore as well as running backs James Pouncey and Javian Clark. Even though Springstead quarterback Tyler Malla didn’t line up for one play on defense for the Eagles, he made a difference.

“When you have to go against such an athlete (like Malla) everyday in practice it gets you ready for (a quarterback) like (Deion Moore),” said Frank Hynes, Springstead’s defensive line coach.

Malla wasn’t the one stopping Moore, Pouncey and Clark from getting to the edge though.

“The interior lineman did a great job of containing and the linebackers were flying to the ball,” said Eagles head coach Mike Garofano.

It helped that the Eagles offense set the tone from the outset. They kept Moore and his running mates on the sidelines. Springstead, behind the running of Daniel Wright and Kevin Bedford, ran 17 plays taking over nine minutes off the clock during the game’s first possession. It culminated with a Malla 6-yard touchdown run.

“The game plan that they had tonight, three yards and a cloud (of dust) which we knew they were going to do, was executed very well,” said Citrus coach Rayburn Greene. “They keep out defense on the field for an ungodly amount of time tonight.”

It looked as if the game was going to turn in Citrus’ favor when Wright, Springstead’s 1,000-yard rusher, left the game with a knee injury. His replacement Bedford filled in more than admirable though.

When Citrus was on offense they couldn’t execute. The first time the Hurricanes had more then one down during a possession came late in the third quarter.

“When our offense was out there we were out of sync and frustrated,” said Greene. “We couldn’t get anything established in the passing game or running game.”

Playing undisicpled football really hurt the Hurricanes. Seven Citrus penalties for 54 yards was just part of the story. Senior wide receiver Sam Franklin was ejected for throwing a punch midway through the first quarter.

“It absolutely did (change the game),” Garofano said of the ejection. “He is probably their top player offensively. It changed the complexity of their offense. They go from having two stud (wide receivers, the other being Franklin’s brother Desmond) on the outside to one. It is one less target we have to pay attention to. It let the air out of their sail.”

Mella had a second rushing touchdown at the start of the second quarter. The senior signal caller also completed a 10-yard strike to Joe Jeffords for the Eagles third touchdown.

The lone Citrus score came on an 81-yard kick return by Pouncey in the second quarter. The extra point was missed.

A lot of history was re-written Friday night for the Eagles.

“Our seniors, they want to make history,” said Garofano. “They made history with back-to-back district titles. They made first tonight with 10 wins in a season. They made history tonight with (the school’s first ever playoff) home win. No Springstead team has ever been to the third round; that is out next goal.”