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Snapping a two-year Greater Western Ohio Conference title drought with a come-from-behind 28-25 win over Trotwood-Madison at Careflight Field, Springboro won its eighth GWOC title in 12 years and clinched a Division I, Region 2 playoff berth (according to joeeitel.com).
“If it doesn’t make you tough, it beats you twice,” Springboro head coach Ryan Wilhite said. “That (loss to Springfield) made us better.”
The Panthers (8-1) finish 4-0 in the GWOC National Division, while the Rams (7-2), who had a seven-game win streak snapped, drop to 3-1. This was the first – and only – season the two schools have been in the same divisional alignment. Next year Trotwood will become an independent.
The meeting was the first between the two since a 31-21 Trotwood win at Springboro in 2009.
With a win at Centerville (4-5) next week, the Panthers, ranked No. 14 in the AP state poll, could secure a first round postseason home game. The playoff berth will be Springboro’s ninth and first since 2016.
Trotwood, despite the loss, also clinched a playoff berth in D-III, Region 12. It’s the Rams 11th straight postseason. Trotwood, ranked No. 4 in the AP state poll, was gunning for its 10th GWOC title in 12 years.
The Rams had a chance for an early knockout Friday.
Trotwood led 13-0 and staked a 19-14 halftime lead with a touchdown pass four seconds before half. But three first-half fumbles, including one into Springboro’s end zone and another at the Panthers 11 proved fatal.
“Yep. Too many turnovers,” Trotwood head coach Jeff Graham said. “Playing away from home and you give them life – you know what happens.”
Springboro senior Timmy Keseday scored two fourth quarter touchdowns, the last on a 22-yard run with 6:38 left, to provide the final lead change. He also knocked down Trotwood’s Hail Mary attempt on the game’s final play and finished with seven tackles.
“The question with Tim Keseday is ‘How much can you ask of him?’ Wilhite said. “He’s come in and continues to be ‘That guy.’”
Said Keseday, a defensive hammer whose scored 10 touchdowns the last six weeks: “I had to spark the team somehow.”
Junior quarterback Landon Palmer connected with junior receiver Titan Case on passes of 32 and 51 yards for the Panthers first two scores.
Trotwood junior quarterback Cooper Stewart, who finished 21-of-33 for 386 yards, threw four touchdown passes, including three to senior receiver Carl Blanton Jr. (nine receptions for 259 yards). The Rams, who travel to Springfield (8-1) in Week 10, racked up 534 yards of offense.
“(Springboro) played a helluva game,” Graham said. “They came out on senior night and did not want to be denied.”
“We’ve been through this before against Springfield and we weren’t able to get it done,” Keseday said. “We weren’t going to let that happen again.”
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