Northmont’s Springfield connection? ‘We might have mentioned it’

The Springfield connection to Northmont football runs deep. Northmont coach Tony Broering was a standout at Shawnee and was formerly the head coach at Springfield South High School.

Northmont’s offensive coordinator is Tom Adams. He’s in his first season with the Clayton-based program, but 43rd year in coaching high school football. Longtime Springfield football fans recall Adams also as South’s head coach for eight successful seasons. He also was an assistant at Springfield North.

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As South’s head coach, it was Adams’ call to hire Broering as an assistant way back in 1991. Broering stayed with the Wildcats through 2005.

Think those connections were addressed to Thunderbolts players prior to Friday’s Week 7 game at Springfield against visiting Northmont?

“We might have mentioned it,” said Broering following a 22-10 Northmont win. “I was very fortunate. It is a special thing.”

There are many more Northmont/Springfield connections. Northmont senior running back Devin Kenerly went for a career-best 264 rushing yards and scored all three touchdowns, just the kind of I-told-you-so stats that makes his many Springfield kin proud.

Even Springfield coach Maurice Douglass concedes a nod to Northmont football. His son, emerging junior cornerback Moses Douglass, played one season of middle school football at Northmont.

Besides being in the Greater Western Ohio Conference, at least this season the programs share next-level status among the area’s best Division I titans, Wayne and Centerville.

This is the best season Broering has had at Northmont (5-2) since taking over in 2014. Like Northmont, Springfield (5-2) also is looking to make the D-I, Region 3 playoffs cut. If that happens, the teams could play again in the postseason.

“That was huge,” Adams said. “Having coached here for eight years and North for four years, it was kind of like coming home. It was a big win for us.”

• Sidney coach Adam Doenges has pep in his Shelby County step. He proudly tweeted the northern county “is currently 24-4 on the season in football.”

That would be Sidney (7-0), Anna (6-1), Lehman Catholic (6-1) and Fort Loramie (5-2). All are in contention for playoff berths in their respective divisions with three regular-season games remaining.

The Shelby County jewel is unbeaten Sidney, which outlasted visiting Tippecanoe last Thursday 49-42. Area rushing leader Isaiah Bowser has 1,900 yards rushing and 24 touchdowns for the Yellow Jackets. But that’s not what impresses Doenges most.

“He’s a role model and a leader for all kinds of kids in our community,” gushed Doenges following the defeat of Tipp. “He’s a neat kid to be around. Multi-sport athlete, great GPA, great ACT, has a side job. A lot of kids will say, I’m going to focus on one sport or I’m too busy to play because I’m working. He does all of that and does it all very well.”

That kind of all-around affect also won over Northwestern University. Bowser verbally committed to the Big Ten program prior to this season.

Anything else? “He’s a phenomenal football player,” said Doenges.

• The popularity of the spread offense and a ground-hugging veer attack were never more evident than Springboro’s 66-56 Week 7 shading of host Miamisburg. The GWOC National West teams combined for a staggering 1,317 offensive yards and 18 touchdowns, six of which covered 40 or more yards.

Try keeping up with that on Twitter.

But that’s also an indictment on a lack of reliable defense. That likely is the main reason both teams are 3-4.

• There are two Week 8 games on Thursday: Butler (3-4) at Piqua (4-3) and Ponitz (2-5) vs. Meadowdale (2-5) at Dayton’s Welcome Stadium. Both are at 7 p.m.

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