The Cobras hand the Eagles their first loss, and clinch their first winning season in 18 years.
By EMILY NIPPS
Published October 23, 2004
SPRING HILL - No district standings were at stake, there was no rivalry animosity and nobody had anything in particular to prove. For both Hudson and Springstead, though, this game was about as momentous as a non-district contest gets.
In the end, Springstead will try to shrug it off as a lesson learned, while Hudson may use it as a confidence builder for the remainder of the season.
The Cobras defeated the previously unbeaten Eagles 22-20, snapping Springstead's six-game winning streak and proving that, yes, Hudson can play with the area's best.
With the victory, the Cobras (6-2) clinched their first winning season in 18 years, and beat Springstead for the first time in the last 12 meetings.
"This was huge," Hudson coach Mark Nash said. "This team doesn't seem to get much respect, but I'm as proud as I can be. That is one heck of a football team."
Springstead (6-1), which could have tied a school record for most consecutive wins in a season, gained only 37 yards in the first half.
Meanwhile, Hudson relied on a big defensive play and a long pass to get an early lead. When Springstead's Jesse Griffith thwarted Hudson's first scoring attempt by intercepting Kyle Hatcher's pass near the Eagles' goal line, giving Springstead the ball on their own 3-yard line, the Cobras turned it into a safety by tackling Quinden Floyd.
In the second quarter, Springstead's Tommy Snow scored on a 44-yard pass from Hatcher, giving Hudson an 8-0 halftime lead.
Hudson's Nate Toole, who had 150 yards on 19 carries, expanded the lead with a 38-yard run.
The Eagles switched up their blocking scheme in the second half, giving quarterback Ian Wald more breathing room. Midway through the third quarter, Springstead scored in five plays on an 80-yard drive, which was set up by 77 rushing yards by Wald. He scored from 1-yard out.
Springstead's Tim Dow followed with a 2-yard touchdown run before the third quarter ended.
After Hudson answered with an 11-yard touchdown run by Toole, Wald, who finished with 139 yards rushing, slipped up the middle to score on a 14-yard run with four minutes to go.
The Eagles were successful holding off Hudson's offense, but couldn't make anything happen in the final minutes.
"I hate losing," Springstead coach Bill Vonada said. "But if we learned from it, maybe something good will come out of it. We've learned that we're not invincible and we can't just show up in the second half."
The Eagles did get some good news. They clinched a playoff spot after Class 4A, District 6 mate Leesburg lost to East Ridge 26-0. Springstead and East Ridge meet next week for a district title.
