[tps_title] Springfield-Montco Spartans [/tps_title]
Springfield quarterback Max Perry (right) describes a new play to members of his team during preseason camp.
Rachel Wisniewski/For Digital First Media
A year later, Spartans look to make grand return
SPRINGFIELD >> The Springfield-Montco High School football team made state-wide news last year — but not for anything positive.
The Spartans pulled the plug on their season after just one game, a loss to Octorara, citing a shortage of players and a roster that, on some weeks, was down to as low as 18 players.
Springfield finished out the 2016 season with a junior varsity schedule of five games with a handful of senior players participating on the team. 
“(Our administration) talked to me,” said head coach Chris Shelly. “I know it was a hard decision, and I wanted to try and make it work. But we just didn’t have many juniors, so when we played, it was mostly with seniors, sophomores and freshmen. And we didn’t want to put our young players through something like that.
“We knew, playing in Suburban One, that it just wasn’t going to work for a full season.”
This year, the Spartans are back, with a roster that Shelly said is up to 53 players and some renewed optimism with a schedule that includes the likes of Boys Latin and Strawberry Mansion, may just bring the Spartans back to respectability.
“In the war of attrition, we were going to lose,” Shelly said of last year’s season. “But we feel there’s going to be a rebirth this year.
“We’re an anomaly, but we’re playing teams we should be playing.”
Naturally, the sophomores and freshmen of a year ago came into their roles, which Shelly hopes they’ll embrace this coming season.
“In my mind, last year was never an issue,” Shelly said. “We had a class with a lot of seniors and not many juniors.
“This year, I think we can make some movement toward becoming a viable program again.”
“It was tough,” said two-way senior lineman Eddie Goldsmith of the 2016 season, “but it was fun while it lasted.
“This year I feel we’re going to do well if we do the things we should.
“Last year we had no idea our season was in trouble. We didn’t know there was going to be a vote to end our year. We didn’t expect anything to happen. When Coach told us there was no practice, we didn’t know what to think. He’s a mysterious guy.”
“It was a strange season,” echoed Perry. “I’ve been playing since fifth grade so to have someone say you’re not going to have a season, it tears you up.”
Perry at QB >> A good part of the Spartans success or failure this year is going to fall onto the shoulders of junior quarterback Max Perry, who Shelly calls, “a guy who can be special.
“He has a really good arm and a high football IQ,” the coach added. “He’s got it.”
All Bright >> As for this year, the Spartans did a bonding trip to Albright College, and seem ready to take on the world.
“It was a good trip,” Perry said. “We had a good time and bonded a lot.”
Whether that bonding will result in a successful season remains to be seen.
But this year, at the very least, there shouldn’t be any surprises.
By Dennis C. Way; dway@21st-centurymedia.com
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