NEW MIDDLETON, Ohio (WKBN) – The Springfield football team is used to success as the team is fresh off a playoff-winning season in 2023, downing Monroeville, 35-21 , in the first round of the playoffs.
In the playoff win, Dante Gentile scored four touchdowns, three of them coming in the second half. This season, Gentile is entering his senior season and will lead the run game.
“Our identity this year is going to be probably to attack,” said Gentile.
Springfield head coach Sean Guerriero said the focus of the 2024 season is the running back room.
“For us to be successful, we’re going to have to be able to run the ball,” said Guerriero.
Last season, the Tigers overall record was 8-4 and 5-1 in the Mahoning Valley Athletic Conference – Scarlet Tier.
Gentile said this season the goal is to start by winning a conference championship.
“We’re working our tails off, running and conditioning. So, we’re not huffing and puffing during the game when we have to get those 25-30 carries a game,” said Gentile. “We’ve got to just fight and really show what these young guys are made of.”
Senior tight end Kaesen Kosek said the style of football in 2024 will be physical.
“We got probably four or five dudes that on most teams around here could be a starting running back, so it’s kind of hard to not try to get them all the ball,” said Kosek.
The Tigers will have a new starting quarterback this season after the loss of Kolten Ruark . Coach Guerriero said whoever starts at quarterback Week 1 will be protected by a battle-tested offensive line.
“We had some guys that have been in our system for three or four years,” said Guerriero. “They have a ton of reps in our system.”
Second-year lineman and Senior Thomas Sheely said the offensive line’s confidence was instilled when they were young.
“We’ll be able to push the ball downfield and really take off and show them how to play some football,” said Sheely. “I think we’ve got a great opportunity to really build upon what we started as little kids and really push that further into the playoffs.”
Springfield players said the team is ready to make their expectations into reality to power a deep playoff run.
“I think we’re all kind of ready, we’re kind of mad about last year that we started off the season,” said Kosek. “I think we’re ready to come in and just kick some tails.”
The Tigers start the season at South Range on Aug. 23.
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