Gators feast on Bears, 42-0

By Natalie Hood, 09/23/17 3:30 PM

SPRING HILL – Spring Hill enjoyed a homecoming victory last week and traveled to Foreman to play the Gators, hoping to bringing in a second win for the season, but fell 42-0.

The Bears battled the Gators along with the officials throughout the game, with several calls in favor of the Gators.

The game started at 7 p.m. with the Bears receiving the ball. Cameron Middleton returned the kickoff to the 22. Playing three wide for their first play of the night. Massanelli made a pass to Drake Kidd moving to the 35 followed up with a pass to Hays Martin to get to the 42. Keymonte Rhodes had a serval carries throughout the first quarter gaining yardage. However, the Bears turned the ball over on downs to the Gators on the Bears 35.

The Gators made a run to the 11, scoring their first touchdown of the evening on the next play, followed with the point after to make the score 7-0 with 7:30 left in the first quarter.

Offside was called when the Gators kicked off moving them back to the 35 to repeat the kick that was returned by Slade Cox.

Massanelli had a couple of incomplete passes but redeemed himself with a completion to Lewis Chambers to make it fourth and 10 for the Bears.

With 5:10 left in the first quarter the Gators made their second touchdown and PAT bringing the score to 14-0.

The Gators were flagged for offside again on the kickoff, which was returned by Cox to the 31. A handoff was made to Rhodes for a two-yard gain, followed with a passing play where the ball was tipped by a Gator and caught by Drake Kidd at the 46. An incomplete pass and a second down, Massanelli ran the ball up the center to gain a yard but was stopped in the backfield in the next play.

Turning the ball over on downs the Gators made a 42-yard run to the Bears 11, where the runner was stopped by Cox. This was followed by motion calls against the Gators who then scored a touchdown and PAT, making the score 21-0.

During the second quarter the Gators connected on a 20-yard touchdown pass to Chance Gross, along with the PAT to bring the score to 28-0.

Cox returned the kickoff to the 32. Rhodes carried the ball up the middle on first down and Chambers getting the second down carry. Massanelli went to the right and throw out of bounds making it fourth and 12. A punt went to the Gators 35 where the receiver looked to have caught it on his knee, but the play was continued without flags, allowing the Gators to get to the Bear 16 where he was stopped by Dustin Beck.

The Gators were flagged for illegal motion pushing them back to the 21.

A fumble on their next play was recovered by the Bears. With a couple of incomplete passes from the Bears, the punt went to midfield, but rolled back the Bears 47 where the Gators took over.

CJ Green with the Gators went to the right and ran the ball in for a touchdown.

The kick was returned by Cox to the 31. A handoff to Rhodes got the ball to the 49. A chop block was called against Rusty Orr and during the play Massanelli was injured across the field. Parker Freeman stepped in as quarterback making a pass to Middleton who was stopped at the 39 making it fourth and long for the Bears. However, Foreman was hit with a personal foul call giving the Bears a first down. Rhodes went up the middle for third down and long for the Bears ending the first half of play.

After the half, the Bears were mercy ruled. The Gators started the second half with a 76-yard touchdown run.

The ensuing kick was fielded at the 20 by Rhodes and carried to the Bears 28. On first down the Bears ran the ball up the middle to gain two yards. Multiple handoffs to Rhodes saw him to get just shy of the 4. He was forced out of bounds after a gain of three on third down before going up the middle to get the first down.  Being just across the 50 Cox ran up the middle for a gain of two. The third quarter ended with the score being 42-0.

The fourth quarter started with a punt being by Middleton and a personal foul called against the Gators putting them at their own seven. Neither team did much for the remainder of the period, with the game ending with the final score of 42-0 with the Gators coming out with the win.

The Bears will play Friday, September 29, at their home against the Lafayette County Cougars. Kickoff will be at 7 p.m.