A year full of challenges and changes came to an end Wednesday night for the Springfield Spartans boys’ basketball team. The Spartans suffered a 53-38 loss to Buchtel in the opening round of the Division II district tournament at the Canton Memorial Fieldhouse. The loss ends the season for Springfield and drops their final record to 8-13. Buchtel improved to 13-7 with the win and advanced to the second round to take on the Fairless Falcons.
Going into the game, Springfield coach Jack Morgan was hopeful about his team’s chances to match up with a quick, athletic Buchtel team that thrives on pressure and creating turnovers.
“I feel like we match up well with Buchtel, if we can avoid making those mistakes, I believe we have a good chance to win,” Morgan stated prior to the contest.
However, once the game got underway, the Griffins were able to use their edge in athleticism to force the Spartans into the very mistakes their coach had warned against. Despite making only one 3-pointer, Buchtel was able to score 19 field goals to 11 for the Spartans. Most of the Griffins’ shots were from 15 feet and in, including many lay-ups. Steve Hargrove led Buchtel with 17 points and hit Buchtel’s lone three-point shot.
Springfield was led, as they have been all season long, by senior point guard Zack Graham. In his final contest for the Spartans, Graham did his best to keep his team in the game, including eight free throws.
The game was close throughout the first half, with Springfield battling back from a five-point first quarter to close the gap to 21-18 at half-time. Going into the half with the momentum gave the team a boost, but they were unable to sustain the momentum coming out in the second half.
The Griffins renewed their pressure in the decisive third quarter, turning up the heat on the Spartans to force several turnovers and outscore Springfield by a 16-6 margin in the period. The 13-point deficit was too much for Morgan’s team to overcome in the fourth quarter and as the final seconds ticked off the clock, looks of sadness and resignation came over the faces of the Springfield players. Despite those feelings, one thing each of the players could say was that they had never stopped fighting and had never given up.
Despite having a new coach, learning a new system and battling other factors such as a lack of experience and also the pay-to-play structure that has made playing sports at the school difficult for many, the Spartans exceeded the expectations of many observers this season. They were able to compete against bigger and more experienced teams and win eight games.
Also, they were able to accomplish something unique in their final game. Each of the team’s three seniors got the chance to score a basket against Buchtel, including the two non-starting seniors, Kevin Bohon and Cody Cutright. Cutright’s playing time has been limited this season and Bohon has mostly been used as a defensive stopper, but Morgan gave them the chance to get into the scoring column in the final game of their high school careers.
“Cody is a fan favorite,” Morgan said. “When he gets in, the students really get behind him.”
It wasn’t the ending that Morgan and his Spartans had hoped for, but in spite of the way it ended this season has been one of progress and growth for the team. The three graduating seniors will be missed, but with a strong returning cast Springfield is well-prepared for a return to the top of the Portage Trail Conference Metro Division next season.