Saturday, October 22, 2011
By BRANDON JUDEH
New Middletown
Columbiana’s running game dominated until it was third down and short with about two minutes left in the game and Springfield clinging to a 22-19 lead.
That’s when the Tigers’ Tom Mastran made the biggest play of the game.
“We ran a spy play on third down and my job was to keep an eye on the quarterback and watch where he goes,” said Mastran.
The senior safety then did something his team had trouble doing all night, stopping Columbiana’s Austin Barbato.
“I knew he was going to step up and try and make a play, that’s when I ran in and knocked him down for the sack,” said Mastran.
His play made it fourth and 13 and after Barbato’s desperation pass fell short it was time for the Tigers to celebrate a huge Inter Tri-County League win.
“We made a rare mistake on the final drive. We made a mistake we haven’t made all year,” said Columbiana coach Bob Spaite, who is in his 18th season with the Clippers.
In a game that had major playoff implications, the Clippers (7-2, 4-2 ITCL) dominated the ground game, with Barbato rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns. His teammate, running back Brandon Hacker, finished with 96 yards on 19 carries and a score.
Columbiana held a 19-7 lead midway through the third quarter, but that’s when Springfield (7-2, 4-2) started its comeback.
With less than five minutes left in the third quarter Tigers quarterback Nick Russell threw a 28-yard pass to Scott Gorby to cut the margin to 19-14.
Then with five minutes left in the game, Columbiana botched a snap and Tigers linebacker Lenard Lewis recovered the ball on the Clippers’ 17-yard line.
One minute later Russell ran it in from 1 yard out and the two-point conversion was good.
Russell spearheaded the Tigers’ offense, passing for 120 yards and scoring all three touchdowns.
Springfield coach Sean Guerriero said his team has been in some close games all year.
“We just keep fighting and fighting out there and playing a lot of close games,” he said. “Our defense stepped up and our offense made plays and it was great to pull out a win for our seniors tonight.”
The Clippers started the scoring with a 36-yard touchdown run by Barbato and he later tacked on a 1-yard touchdown run that capped off a 15-play, 77-yard drive.
“We have unfinished business to take care of, we haven’t been to the playoffs in a number of years. We have something special here and we still have a lot to do,” said Mastran.