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After three weeks without game time, the Wildcats fell to Macon East in the AISA 8-man semifinals 66-36.

“I don’t want to make excuses…We turned the ball over and just got in a hole. After that we went back and forth trading scores,” said head coach Joey Burch.

He added, “I was proud of our kids effort…We gonna load up and rest up and work next year and do it all over again.”

It was perhaps the most eventful quarter of the entire season. Macon East led 38-22 after the first frame. Springwood had trouble with turnovers and penalties allowing the Knights a chance to capitalize.

However it was Springwood that started the scoring by captain and team rushing leader, CJ Johnson who took it forty yards to the house in less than a minute.

But Macon East quickly took the lead. A pass to the outside to a wide open receiver allowed the Knights to tie it of.

The first play of Springwood’s next possession was a high snap with quarterback Wes Carden couldn’t recover. The knights got the ball deep on Wildcat territory scoring a minute after their first touchdown to make it 16-8 with more than half a first quarter left to play.

Their luck went from bad to worse when Springwood muffed the opponents punt giving Macon East the ball on Springwoods 30. The knights quarterback winded through defenders to extend the lead to 22-8. Three touchdowns in less than two minutes.

CJ comes right back with a punt return for another six points.

It looked like the Springwood defense would contain the attack after a long penalty. But Macon East threw over the top to make it a two touchdown lead again.

Another muffed punt gave them the ball right back on Springwoods 43 yard line. The Knights quarterback would run all over the Wildcats to make it 38-14 with two minutes left in the first.

CJ was breaking tackles all night long and was the conductor of all eight points in the next drive.

Things looked brighter for Springwood when Sophmore Adam Baltes intercepted a Knights pass in Wildcat territory to go into the second quarter.

The offense would give up another turnover however with a fumbled pitch at the halfway mark.

The defense got a boost when Jiovanni Rowe and Greg Johnson got back to back sacks to force a turnover.

CJ would capitalize on the turnover for his fourth touchdown on the night getting it within 10 points, 38-28 with four left in the half.

Both sides traded penalties on the Knights next drive. A Macon East touchdown was called back for offensive pass interference paving the way for another Baltes interception.

It was just not the Wildcats night as they couldn’t do much with the turnover before halftime.

The third started with another long run by Macon East’s quarterback to put Springwood’s dream of a title further away going into the final frame.

As defenders closed in on what looked like a sack on the Knight’s quarterback ended with a lob pass downfield that found a receiver. The lead increased to 52-28 with nine minutes to play.

Greg took the resulting punt return into scoring position for the Wildcats. He inched it closer with a reception in midfield. CJ got the job done with help from a Clarence Moore two pointer.

But a comeback was not to be. Macon East would score two touchdowns in quick succession. The final one would be the result of an interception and long run back by the Knights. The final score was 66-36.

Springwood ends another great season with a 9-3 record.

“Football teaches you about life…life is tough sometimes,” said Burch. “It don’t end when the season ends we’re here for you the rest of your life.”

When asked if there was anything else to say. Senior Linus Wanninger raised his had and said a tearful thank you to his coach.