By Tom Williams

williams@vindy.com

NEW MIDDLETOWN

In 2014, the Springfield High School football team posted some outstanding memories including a game in Week 11.

For the first time in 15 seasons, the Tigers defeated Crestview, blasting the Rebels 42-21 to help earn a share of the Inter Tri-County League Tier One title. The Tigers (7-3, 5-2) qualified for first with a Week 9 romp over Lisbon (48-14).

Offense

This year’s Tigers return 11 letterwinners including senior quarterback Graham Mincher. Coach Sean Guerriero will be counting on them to demonstrate to his less-experienced players how to be winners.

“Last year obviously was a good senior group,” said Guerriero who is beginning his ninth season as Tigers head coach. “We had a bunch of kids who were multiple-year starters for us. There were a couple of three-four-year starters.

“When you [have] that experience, it’s definitely a lot easier. You can expand on some the schemes.”

The top task for the Tigers’ staff is to identify the younger players ready to step up.

“We have a lot of spots to fill up because of last year’s senior class [graduating],” said Mincher who will be a three-year starter. “On both sides of the ball last year, it was mostly seniors.

“We’ve known a lot of underclassmen are going to have to step up. And that’s what they are doing so far. It seems like we’re filling the holes pretty [well] so far now that we are starting doubles.”

Anchoring the line will be returning starters Zack Fellows and Russell Seymour.

“Three lineman have experience, two were two-year starters,” Guerriero said. “So we do have some experience back.”

Defense

Linebacker Hunter Troggio is the other two-year letterman returning. The other letterwinners are Jake Ford, Frankie Centofonti, Joey Santangelo, Cody Allen, Jordan Capouellez, Austin Lawson and Dom Washburn.

“Skill-position wise, I think we are athletic,” Guerriero said. “We just don’t have experience there.”

Allen, a senior, has done well in camp competing to play wide receiver and defensive back.

“Ryan Kohler showed [us] how to step it up, give it 100 percent,” Allen said of last season. “Nate [Simboli] stepped up at wide receiver, he made a big impact on us with the deep ball.”

Mincher and Centofonti are returning starters in the secondary. Fellows returns to star at defensive end.

For Fellows, the right tackle on offense, one of his highlights from last fall was the unity he felt with his co-linemen.

“My big thing was the leadership on the line,” Fellows said. “Our line had one big bond, that’s what I’m hoping to get this year.”

SPECIAL TEAMS

Two big holes to fill were major contributors on special teams. Among those who graduated in June were Mark Schuler (two-way starter and all-league punter who’s now with Youngstown State) and Ryan Kohler (some, 2,000 all-purpose yards who’s now with Mount Union).

Outlook

This fall, the Tigers are part of the five-team ITCL Red Tier (aka big division) that includes South Range, Crestview, East Palestine and United.

Mincher’s goal is “to continue off of last season’s success. Even though we lost a lot of seniors, good and even great players, we’re looking with the talent that we have to fill those holes, win the league and make the playoffs.”