SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) – As the Springfield Sacred Heart-Griffin football team prepares to conclude their regular season, they are eager to bounce back after a heart-wrenching loss to Glenwood in week eight.

During that intense match-up, the Cyclones had the upper hand against the unbeaten Titans until the last minute, when victory slipped from their grasp.

Reflecting on the game, SHG head football coach John Allison remarked, “That one is going to hang with us for a while, there’s no question. We had to learn from a few things. We ran out of a lot of energy just because we’ve got a lot of guys that play 130, 140 snaps a game. We’ve got to just manage that time better, maybe a little bit in the second half.”

This season marks a comeback for the Cyclones after enduring their lowest win total in decades in 2024. The team is driven and ready to prove themselves once again.

Drew Ward, SHG’s senior wide receiver and defensive back, expressed the team’s renewed spirit, saying, “I feel like we have a lot more intensity coming into this year. We got a lot of confidence in our coaches to make the right decisions and they’ve continued to do so, so we’ve got a lot of confidence in ourselves.”

The upcoming Friday Football Fever Spotlight Game of the Week is more than just a rivalry showdown with Rochester; it’s a chance for the Cyclones to reaffirm their strength and determination.

“A win is really important in terms of playoffs right now,” Allison said. “It’s a difference probably between a home game and a road game.”