NETHER PROVIDENCE — When the game ended, Strath Haven’s Marco Kaufman and Shane Green stood side by side, a living portrait of two exhausted players who had just endured 48 minutes of physical agony.
And they couldn’t have felt any better.
“Every play I feel I am getting a new bruise,” Kaufman said. “My back, front, sideways. I’m getting hit everywhere. But it’s the type of game I love.”
That is one way to explain what happened in Friday’s District 1 Class 5A semifinal at George L. King Field. The meeting of Central League behemoths No. 2 Strath Haven and No. 3 Springfield was a showcase of two of Delaware County’s toughest, meanest football teams. And the highly anticipated rematch of co-Central League champions exceeded the hype.
When Sean Williams’ 40-yard field goal attempt in the final 20 seconds of the fourth quarter landed a few yards short of the crossbar, the Panthers’ offense casually trotted back on the field and lined up in victory formation.
For the third time in 12 months, the Panthers had outdueled the Cougars. With its 14-12 win Friday, Strath Haven advances to its second district final in three years. The Panthers will play the winner of Saturday’s game between No. 1 Chester and fifth-seeded West Chester Rustin next weekend at a site to be determined.
“We go hard every day in practice and this is what we worked so hard for,” Green said. “We bond as a team and this is what it looks like. This is what it is all about.”
The Cougars’ only two losses this season were at the hands of the Panthers (12-1), and by a total margin of five points. They were down eight in the fourth quarter when star running back Mike Turner burst through the heart of Haven’s defensive front and sprinted 34 yards to the end zone with 2:16 to play. On the two-point try, Turner got the ball out of the wildcat formation and ran to his right, but he was met at the line of scrimmage by Vince Hales and James Fisher.
Defensively, the Cougars (11-2) stood tall on the Panthers’ ensuing possession, forcing a three and out. With 40 seconds left. Springfield quarterback Ryan Whitaker connected with Chris Dolan over the middle for a 33-yard gain to the Haven 23-yard line. Following three straight incompletions, coach Chris Britton called upon Williams to make the longest kick he had ever tried. Senior co-captain and two-way lineman Gus Bryan immediately went over to console Williams when the kick fell short.
“I’m proud of my guys, the way they played,” Britton said. “They answered back and they made a lot of stops late in the second half and gave us a chance. That’s all we can ask for. They’ve been doing that all year long, just the way they’ve gone about everything. It’s the entire senior class and how they take care of themselves.”
Springfield couldn’t have drawn up a better start to the game. The Cougars received the opening kickoff and proceeded to go on a 19-play, 76-yard drive that ended when fullback Ethan Marshall plunged into the end zone from a yard out with 1:53 showing on the first-quarter clock. But the point-after try was off the mark, which would come back to haunt the Cougars.
Strath Haven got its ground game rolling on its second drive. Green was the bellcow, ripping off a 70-yard to set Kauffman up with a one-yard touchdown run with 6:51 left in the second quarter.
“We’ve been in these games before,” Green said. “We know just to keep pushing because the game is never over.”
As Springfield’s offense began to stall, Haven produced 182 yards rushing in the second quarter, averaging 11 yards per carry in the first half. James Fisher scampered 62 yards to the end zone to put the Panthers ahead 14-6 with 3:09 to play before halftime.
“Those long drives can beat us up, so to get the long runs like we did, those really helped us give us the edge,” Strath Haven quarterback Jake Kitchin said.
The Panthers began the third quarter on a 12-play drive. Although they had no points to show for it, that drive laid the groundwork for a defensive struggle in the final two quarters, The Cougars leaned on Turner (128 yards on 25 carries) on their first drive of the half, but it ended in frustration when AJ Glavicic intercepted Whitaker for the second time, deep inside Haven territory.
“We had our chances,” Britton said.
Green carried a Haven run offense that produced 243 yards on 40 carries. The junior amassed 145 yards and Fisher added 78 yards.
“Everyone on this team is a leader and everyone on this team has a great mindset of not giving up, no matter what happens,” Kaufman said. “Everyone relies on each other. We don’t give up. It’s awesome.”
