With all the training and effort the football team put in over the summer, the Spartans were unable to rise to the occasion Friday, and failed to win their match against the Fort Zumwalt East Lions. Losing 37-17 against the Lions, the Spartans walked off the field defeated.

The match started off with the Lions and Spartans pushing each other up and down the field for most of the first quarter, until the Lions were able to complete a pass and run the ball into the end zone.

Later in the second quarter, the Spartans retaliated as senior quarterback Brody Allen handed the ball off to senior running back Kendall Morris, allowing Morris to sprint 45 yards to score a touchdown. Despite the progress the team made, they still missed their opportunity to follow the touchdown up with an extra point. On top of that, they then lost the lead by the end of second quarter after the Lions gained points with a field goal and a touchdown with an extra point.

Beginning the second half of the game with the score 17–6 in the Lions favor, the Spartans created an intense third quarter, battling their way down the field and tied the Lions with a field goal, a touchdown and a two-point conversion. The Spartans’ scoring streak quickly faded though as they let the Lions take the lead again with another touchdown within the final minutes of the third quarter, and then another two touchdowns and a two point-conversion in the fourth quarter, ultimately ending the game with the score of 37–17.

Head Coach Todd Berck said he believed that not having the ability to learn what team’s weaknesses were prior to their match had somewhat affected the team’s performance.

“I’m not making any excuses at all, but not having an opportunity to see ourselves on film and not having a jamboree really [was] a disadvantage because normally that’s where you get to get video of you versus another opponent and make corrections, and we didn’t get that opportunity,” said Coach Berck.

Despite the believed disadvantage, Coach Berck didn’t put all the blame on not having a chance to film the team before the game.

“That being said, a lot of things that happened weren’t because we didn’t have a jamboree. We made some little mistakes, we got tired, and when you get tired it’s the first thing that goes to your mind,” said Coach Berck. “We blew some coverages, we turned the ball over, and so we’re going to have to clean that up. We’re going to have to clean up the turnovers, we’re going to have to clean up our assignments, and not blow coverages, and by doing that we’ll be a lot better just right there.”

Senior safety Justin Allen thought the team could use this game as example to motivate them to do better at the team’s next game against the Fort Zumwalt South Bulldogs this Friday.

“We need to learn to push through the bad times, and really not roll over,” said Allen. “We need to learn to just push through adversity and come out stronger.”