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Huffing and Puffing

Photo by JOE DiCRISTOFALO

Springstead sophomore fullback Devean Huff

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By MARTY MILLER

Hernando Today correspondent

Published: November 15, 2008

LECANTO - Maybe it was the first play of the game, a 17-yard run by Springstead fullback Devean Huff that told the story the best.
Friday night Huff gained 161 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns as the Eagles ended their season with an easy 37-0 shutout of Lecanto.
The five-foot, three-inch, 138-pound sophomore carried the ball 18 times and scored on touchdown runs of 19 and ten yards as Springstead finished the season with a 7-3 record, but again just missing the state playoffs.
"It's very disappointing," said Eagle senior quarterback James Mahla. "Ever since the summer, we've been preaching among ourselves about making the playoffs. We just didn't do it."
On Friday in their final game, the Eagles completely dominated the 1-9 Panthers. Along with the two touchdowns from Huff, senior Ben Noury had a 40-yard touchdown run along with a nine-yard scoring run from senior Mike Greco.
Mahla also threw a nine-yard touchdown pass to Dominique Roberson and Nate Schafer kicked a field goal and four extra-points.
The Eagles outgained Lecanto in total offense 441-110 as Lecanto QB Addison Holstein completed only four-of 25 passes in the game.
But it was the play of the Eagles offensive line and Huff that led the way Friday. In the first quarter, Huff gained 99 yards on just nine carries while Noury added a 40-yard TD run.
"For the most part, I think we clicked up front from the opening series," said Eagle coach Bill Vonada. "It was the guys up front who made it happened, obviously none of that would have happed without them."
Springstead scored on its first series as Noury went around left end on a reverse for the score just 1:48 into the game. Less than two minutes later, the Eagles scored again after recovering a Lecanto fumble as Huff ran one in from 19-yards out.
Early in the second quarter, Huff finished off another Springstead drive with a 10-yard TD run and Springstead added 10 more points in the final 3:20 of the first half as Mahla hit Roberson with a nine-yard TD pass and Schafer added a 20-yard field goal as time expired.
The second half was mostly a time for the Springstead coaching staff to look at their younger players. On their of the third quarter, Greco ended an 11-play 75-yard drive by scoring on a seven- yard run that ended the scoring.
With a Springstead line of Stanley Miele, Mitchell Fischback, John McCloskey, Daniel Wilson and Philip Lakin leading the way, the Eagles finished the game with 332 yards rushing.
"It was their defensive scheme to try and stop me and that was their game plan, but it didn't work," said Mahla. Huff, who will be wrestling for Springstead this year, also gave credit to the offensive line. "I don't know, I just wanted to give it all I've got and the offensive line really did a good job."
With the game decided, Vonada and his staff used most of the second half to look and younger players as Vonada loses players like Mahla, Noury, Roberson, Greco, Wilson, Schafer, Miele and Bryce Hollingshead.
"We've got some guys coming back who may not have seen much playing time because of all the seniors," said Vonada. "We've got some guys we feel pretty confident about. They hit the weight room and continue to develop, we'll have some good football players next year."

Springstead 37, Lecanto 0
Score by Qts. 1 2 3 4
SPG 14 16 7 0 – 37
LEC 0 0 0 0 – 0
SPG - Noury 40 run (Schafer kick)
SPG - Huff 19 run (Schafer kick)
SPG - Huff 10 run (Kelly run failed)
SPG - Roberson 9 pass from Mahla (Schafer kick)
SPG - FG Schafer 20
SPG - Greco 7 run (Schafer kick)

SPG LEC
First downs 23 7
Rushes-Yards 45-332 16-60
Passes 9-18-0 4-25-0
Yards passing 109 50
Total offense 441 110
Return yards 29 74
Fumbles/Lost 2-1 2-1
Penalties 4-44 4-41

Individual statistics
RUSHING (Attempts, Yards, Long gain)
SPG: Beeker 1-3, 3; Clarks 2-15, 15; Greco 8-42, 12; Hollingshead 3-21, 13; Wozniak 3-(-3), -3; Mahla 6-46, 21; Huff 18-161, 31; Watson 1-7, 7; Noury 1-40, 40. LEC: Downey 1-(-2), -2; Holstein 5-7, 15; Hatcher 5-12, 4; Powers 5-43, 21.
RECEIVING (Catches, Yards, Long gain)
SPG: Greco 1-12, 12; Noury 3-45, 23; Roberson 2-18, 9; Wozniak 1-5, 5; Watson 1-10, 10; Hollingshead 1-19, 19. LEC: Hamrick 1-13, 13; Carpenter 2-14, 7; Powers 1-23, 23.
PASSING (Completions, Attempts, Interceptions, Yards, Touchdowns, Long gain)
SPG: Mahla 9-16-0, 109, 1, 23; Kelly 0-2-0, 0, 0. LEC: Holstein 4-25-0, 50, 0, 23.

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