McKenzie scores 3 TDs, Springfield-Montco rolls past Lower Moreland

LOWER MORELAND >> Springfield-Montco coach Chris Shelly is adamant senior Dylan McKenzie is one of the area’s best-kept secrets.

“Listen, I’m going to be honest with you, people are missing on him,” Shelly said. “I’ve tried to put his name out there, for whatever reason, maybe cause there’s all the kids that all this hype upstate – he’s as good as we’ve ever had here.”

McKenzie needed just a half to show Shelly feels that way, beginning with opening the scoring on a hot Friday afternoon matchup with host Lower Moreland by taking a punt back 94 yards for a touchdown.

“It certainly felt pretty good,” McKenzie said. “It was very long. Kind of set the tone for the rest of the game.”

He reached the end zone twice more on runs and added an interception as the Spartans built a 32-0 lead at the break and went on to roll past the Lions for a 45-6 season-opening victory at Mark V. Mayson Stadium.

“I’m just doing what my team expects me to do,” McKenzie said. “The other guys, my linemen, my quarterback, everybody on the defensive end, we’re just doing our jobs and that’s all that matters.”

Springfield quarterback Matteo Ringgold ran for a pair of first-half touchdowns – including a 58-yarder in the second quarter’s final minute – as the Spartans followed losing a fumble inside the Lower Moreland 10 on the opening series with seven consecutive scoring drives.

“We feel great but we didn’t have a lot more to show next Friday night against Harriton,” Ringgold said. “This was really a game that we’re really satisfied with. A win is a win but we’re definitely looking to go 2-0 now, we’re putting this game behind us.”

CJ Thompson ran for two touchdowns as Springfield (1-0) extended its lead to 45-0 in the third. Lower Moreland (0-1) denied the Spartans their first shutout since 2019 – when it blanked Thomas Edison 54-0 – when QB Tolan Stahl connected with Brian Lonie for a 40-yard touchdown pass with 6:10 remaining in the fourth.

“I want to give their coaching staff, their head coach and their kids credit,” said Shelly of Lower Moreland. “I’ve been there with 25 kids. So their kids played hard and really pushed us, and didn’t stop playing so it’s a credit to them.

“I’m just proud of our guys because we set a standard. It didn’t matter who was going to show up today, if they had 80 guys or if they had 20, we want to play to a certain standard this year so it feels good but they want more, we want more.”

Springfield racked up 310 of its 351 offensive yards on the ground McKenzie posted a game-high 73 yards on seven carries. Thompson had 66 yards on four carries, Ringgold collected 50 yards on two runs while Ryan Gibbons chipped in 46 yards on seven carries.

The Spartans, who finished 6-3 last season but missed qualifying for the four-team District 1-4A playoffs, host Central League side Harriton Friday.

“Definitely a revenge season,” McKenzie said. “I’m trying to make the playoffs this year, trying to do everything the best I can to win.”

Stahl was 8-of-15 passing for 134 yards, a TD and two interceptions for Lower Moreland, which went 4-5 in 2021, looks to earn its first win this year when it visits Bristol Friday. Lonie caught two passes for 61 yards and a score.

A blocked put set Springfield up at the Lions’ 22 but two plays later the Spartans fumbled the ball away, Lower Moreland recovering at its own 5.

The Lions drove the ball into Springfield territory but after getting to the 38, a false start penalty then an incompletion forced them to punt. McKenzie fielded it at the six, powered through a few tackle attempts, spun away from a few more then dash left across the field and into the end zone for a 94-yard score at 2:40 in the first quarter.

“Started off, caught the ball, I was like I’m going to take this to the house,” McKenzie said. “Ran through, I saw a hole, knocked over a couple of guys, ran through and I just saw green. Felt good, I knew it was going to come.”

Ringgold’s only pass set up McKenzie’s first rushing TD as Ringgold hit Miles Goodwin for a 41-yard gain with McKenzie scoring from nine yards out on the next play to make it 13-0 at 10:37 in the second quarter.

A McKenzie interception led to Springfield’s third touchdown, the Spartans going 42 yards on six plays – Ringgold crossing the goal line from two yards out at 8:04 for a 19-0 advantage.

Tim Saiber’s interception set Springfield up at the Lower Moreland 37 and four plays later the Spartans went up 26-0 on McKenzie’s four-yard TD run at 6:25.

Ringgold collected his second rushing touchdown in the half’s final minute, getting a downfield block from Colby Sabin and dashing down the left sideline for a 58-yard score to make it 32-0.

“My guys looked at me and they said make a play and I made a play and took it to the house,” Ringgold said.

Springfield enacted the 35-point running clock on the first drive of the third quarter, a six-play, 61-yard series capped by a Johnson 16-yard touchdown run. The Spartans went up 45-0 on their next possession as Johnson scored on a run from nine yards out.

Springfield 45, Lower Moreland 6

Springfield (1-0) 7 25 13 0 – 45

North Penn (0-1) 0 0 0 6 – 6

First Quarter

S-Dylan McKenzie 94 punt return (kick failed) , 2:40.

Second Quarter

S-McKenzie 9 run (kick failed), 10:39.

S-Mateo Ringgold 2 run (kick failed), 8:04.

S-McKenzie 4 run (Aaron Kim kick), 6:25.

S-Ringgold 58 run (kick failed), 0:39.2.

Third Quarter

S-CJ Johnson 16 run (Ezra Parks kick).

S-Johnson 9 run (run failed (kneel down))

Fourth Quarter

LM-Tolan Stahl 40 pass to Brian Lonie (pass failed)

S LM

First Downs 17 7

Rushes-yards 31-320 21-12

Passing 1-1-0 8-15-2

Passing yards 41 134

Totals yards 361 146

Punts 0 3

Penalties-yards 3-35 3-15

Fumbles-lost 1-1 2-0

Rushing

Springfield: Dylan McKenzie 7-73, 2 TD; CJ Johnson 4-66, TD; Mateo Ringgold 2-60, 2 TD; Ryan Gibbons 7-46; Ryan Vernick 3-25; Ryan Marcino 1-19; Max Sanchez 2-13; Na’im Caleb 1-10; Theo Ferragame 2-10; Jack McGuckin 2-(-2).

Lower Moreland: Nate McNulty 1-14; Ryan Buoni 5-3; Tolan Stahl 8-1; Jaleel Baxter 7-(-6)

Passing

Springfield: Mateo Ringgold 1-1-0, 41.

Lower Moreland: Tolan Stahl 8-15-2, 134, TD.

Receiving

Springfield: Miles Goodwin 1-41.

Lower Moreland: Brian Lonie 2-61; Jaleel Baxter 2-33; Ryan Buoni 1-18; Trent Stahl 1-12; Donato Incollingo 2-10.

Interceptions

Springfield: Dylan McKenzie, Tim Saiber.

Lower Moreland: None.