SPRING HILL - There's a sort of optimism swirling around the Springstead football team this Spring. Mostly because the Eagles are coming off of their most successful season in program history. But it's the way the season ended, a 41-0 loss to Armwood in the regional finals, that the team would like to forget.
"They were good," said Junior Linebacker, and Runningback Dylan McLeod. "They were on a different level."
"They were the toughest team I've ever faced," added Daniel Wright, Eagles Junior Fullback.
They may have had some of the better on-field talent, but Springstead has an impressive coach. Mike Garofano was the defensive coordinator at Springstead for a decade before taking over as head coach last season. In just his first year, he led the Eagles to a record 11 wins. But if he hopes to have a repeat performance, he'll have to find someone to replace Tyler Mahla, the graduating Eagles quarterback who led the county in passing, rushing, scoring, holding, and punting last season.
"We got three or four guys vying for that position right now," Garofano explains.
"We're more of a running team," adds Wright. "If we need to throw, we will."
If the Eagles make it back to the third round of the playoffs, they may have to face a team like Armwood again, and they're confident they will find a way to make it closer than before.
"You adjust to the talent you have," Garofano said.
We're blue-collar, hard working and every team knows that when they play Springstead, they're in for a battle."