File photo by Travis Rosenau Springfield wide receiver Isaac Fredin (2) scores a touchdown in the Section 3A semifinals against Sleepy Eye United on Oct. 26 at Springfield’s Riverside Park.

SPRINGFIELD — Springfield’s journey to the Section 3A championship might have outwardly looked very similar to the previous two years — high flying offensive performances paired with a stifling team defense — but this year’s team has something different from years past.

“Our players continue to do a great job of understanding and owning their roles on the team,” Springfield head coach Adam Meyer said. “I think that’s a reflection of the leadership we have in our senior class and the groups before it. I feel that we have a very selfless group of kids that play hard for each other and are willing to do what it takes for the team to be successful, even if that means sacrificing personal stats.”

Players continue to step up for this team, notably WR/CB Brayden Sturm, who had two receiving touchdowns to go with two interceptions in last week’s semifinals game against Sleepy Eye United, and RB/LB Gavin Vanderwerf, who ran for 141 yards and a score last week. Along with quarterback Parker Kuehn and LB/RB Aiden Moriarty, this team has made significant changes from previous years while still upholding the excellence that got the team to the state championship for two years in a row.

Another thing that has changed for Springfield is its success in running the ball. While never a weakness for the team, the focus has changed somewhat from the passing game to the rushing attack this year. Springfield still averages 174 yards through the air per game, but its run game actually outpaces that as running backs average 178.6 yards per contest, led by Vanderwerf and Moriarty. This is a substantial change from last season’s team that averaged 247 yards per game passing and 138.5 yards rushing.

The defense has also leveled up from last season as the team is allowing just 7.7 points per game allowed this season, while last year’s team allowed 13.4 points per game before the state tournament. This is perhaps thanks in part to the success of the ground game, but allowing nearly half as many points as a season ago must also be attributed to a rise in talent on the defensive side of the ball.

The Tigers must face one final test before making it three consecutive state tournament trips, as third-seeded Murray County Central stands between them and a section title, with the game set this Friday at Southwest Minnesota State University in Marshall. The game has a 10 a.m. kickoff time.

MCC proved to be Springfield’s toughest opponent in the regular season in Week 2, though Springfield still came out on top. However, not only did the Rebels score the most points on the Tigers all season with 18 points, they also held Springfield to its lowest point total of the regular season with 28, which was barely topped last week as SEU held Springfield to 27 points.

“MCC is always a very tough opponent,” Meyer said. “They are a well-coached team and have adapted their schemes to fit their players really well. Their offense and defensive fronts are very strong and physical and run the ball very efficiently. They have switched to the triple-option offense this year, which requires consistent focus and discipline on defense to slow it down, much less stop it. Defensively, they play extremely hard and pursue the ball well while mixing up looks both on the front and in the secondary.”

MCC runs the ball nearly every play, and does so with great success. Its run game is led by two talented backs and a wrecking ball on the offensive line.

“Their quarterback, Teague Meyer, runs the show on offense,” Meyer said “The triple option requires a lot of quick decisions to be made and he’s done a nice job of taking care of the football and distributing it well this season while also being a threat in the run game. Their fullback, Carson Lewis, gets a lot of carries each game and is a physical runner. Also, their front on both sides is led by Colby Kesteloot, who is a very physical lineman that plays hard every down.”

Aside from familiarity running against the triple-option scheme, Meyer doesn’t believe that the two teams’ previous matchup nine weeks prior will be very prescriptive in this current game.

“There has been a ton of growth for both teams since the first game we played,” Meyer said. “Looking back, we try to see how they have evolved and what has changed from that point of the season until now.”

One thing that Springfield must do in order to stay one step ahead in this game is to win the early downs. If the team can bring up third-and-longs on defense, that will disrupt the rhythm of MCC’s offense.

“Early downs are going to be crucial,” Meyer said. “Putting their offense in third-and-long situations will add stress to what they want to do and take them out of their element. That will also give our defense the chance to get off the field instead of facing long drives. We also want to be efficient on those downs to give ourselves opportunities to be less predictable.”

Meyer added that all three phases of the game will have to be prepared to play well for Springfield.

“Special teams will also play a key role in this game,” he said. “They have an outstanding kicker and have been known to use onside kicks, so we will need to be prepared in all phases of the game.”