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SPRINGFIELD — The survey was informal, the summertime conversations about Central League football standard, the conclusions many.
One message, though, was consistent, even if a little muffled. Typically, it went like this: “And Springfield is going to be very good.”
So it would be, a steady beat backing up the chatter about the usual conference standard-carriers, a reminder that the Cougars were in the second round of the last District 1 Class 5A tournament and had more than enough to do even better in the encore.
After one game, a 50-6 victory over visiting Cardinal O’Hara in the season-opener Friday, it’s already clear that somebody knew something.
“We have a lot of returning seniors and they worked hard,” coach Chris Britton said, “and they have been waiting for this.”
The Cougars proved they were back for business with a 29-point first quarter. Including a 70-yard punt return for a touchdown by senior Vinny Valerio, they not only scored on their first four possessions but consistently squeezed the Lions into punt formations.
O’Hara responded with a counter-punch 52 seconds into the second quarter when Keon Powell dashed 37 yards for a touchdown to narrow the difference to 29-6, but the Cougars resumed dominating in the trenches on their way to generating 360 rushing yards. So crisp was Springfield offensively that it enjoyed a 50-burger without completing a single pass.
“Strath Haven has been doing that for 50 years, probably,” Britton said, laughing. “So what’s the difference?”
The gap between the Cougars and the rest of the particularly deep Central League is shallow at best. As for that running game, it is deep. Already anxious to welcome Nate Romano, Mike Turner, Chris Dolan and Ethan Marshall to the backfield, the Cougars were boosted Friday by Luke Valerio, who gained some experience as a freshman but dazzled in his sophomore debut. The brother of Vinny, Luke rushed six times for 111 yards and two touchdowns.
“We have a big rotation in the backfield, with a lot of numbers,” he said. “We have a bond with each other, knowing where somebody is going to cut or where there will be a block. That really helps.”
As for bonds, there are none more sturdy than Luke and Vinny, who are just separated enough by age that they haven’t been full-time contributors on the same team since the fourth grade. Luke’s 23-yard TD run in the first quarter preceded Vinny’s dazzling punt return down the right sideline by 1:04.
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Springfield’s Tanner Coll runs in for a touchdown in the second quarter as the Cougars rolled to a 50-6 win over Cardinal O’Hara Friday night. (PETE BANNAN-DAILY TIMES)
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