EUGENE – After two games, an inexperienced Springfield Millers team is beginning to wonder if they’re going to sink or swim in their killer schedule for this year in the Midwestern League after losing last year’s senior personnel.
The Millers made a goal-line stand just before halftime and trailed 22-13 at the break Friday night, seemingly taking all the momentum into the third quarter. But the Churchill Lancers controlled the second half, rolling to a 44-13 home victory. This follows their previous loss to No. 16 Mountain View on Aug. 30, which finished No. 3 overall last year. Springfield, which defeated Churchill 21-8 last season, has been outscored 99-33 in two games this season.
“They were way more physical than we were, way more physical,” Springfield coach Frank Geske said. “They did a good job of coaching, and their guys played with a lot of heart. That’s a good recipe.”
Despite Churchill’s overall performance, Miller standouts such as senior halfback Finn Lessner and junior quarterback Noah Solo still “played their hearts out” and exhibited grit against the Lancers, Geske said.
Solo had a 22-yard run in the first quarter and a 25-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Overall, Solo had 14 carries for 137 yards and one score, and he completed 7-of-26 passes for 119 yards. While Solo gained 137 yards rushing, the Millers gained only 146 yards rushing as a team
“Noah played well,” Geske said. “He made some great throws – his receivers didn’t always help him out a whole lot. But he played his rear end off.”
Geske also mentioned Lessner, who accounted for 13 tackles while playing in the secondary.
Lessner, a transfer from Willits, Calif., rushed 3 times for 9 yards. Wide receiver Brady Lo’ser led the Millers with 3 catches for 57 yards.
One of the Millers’ biggest plays came shortly after a 30-minute lightning delay, which came at the 2:27 mark of the second quarter with Churchill leading 22-7. When play resumed, Springfield was facing a 2nd-and-16 at the Lancers 19. After a 1-yard loss, an incomplete pass, and a 5-yard penalty Solo – facing 4th-and-22 from the 25 – called his own number and scampered into the end zone to make it 22-13.
“That second half definitely fooled me, I didn’t see that coming in my wildest imagination,” Geske said. “They’re physical and they earned everything they got, but did I think we would fall apart in the second half like that? Definitely not.
“I’m not making any excuses, we just need to play faster,” said Geske, who starts eight sophomores, including three on the defensive line. “They played faster and harder than we did.”
Two rivals are next up on the Millers’ schedule: home against Crater this week, then on the road against Thurston on Sept. 20.
