SPRINGFIELD, PA — Mike DePetris had not played cornerback since pee-wee football before grade school, wearing oversized shoulder pads and a swiveling helmet on his head. The 5-foot-8 Springfield sophomore had not made his first varsity start until Week 9 last Friday, in the Cougars’ victory over Garnet Valley.
It worked.
Everything, so far this season, Cougars’ head coach Chris Britton and his coaching staff have placed their fingers on has worked.
Springfield (Delco) finished its regular season 10-0 for the first time since 2017, and threepeated as Central League champions, winning the league crown outright, thanks to a blocked DePetris punt that led to the Cougars’ only touchdown, a stubborn defense and Luke Valerio’s game-high 136 yards rushing in Springfield’s 10-7 victory over rival Strath Haven.
The score is a little deceiving. The scoreboard said there was a three-point difference, but the other stats from this game screamed Springfield dominance concocted by the Cougars’ coaching staff, which includes two Hall of Famers, Steve Lennox and Mike D’Esposito, offensive coordinator Lou D’Alonzo, Dan Plank, Kyle Long, Adam Krauter, Chris DiRenzo, Tyler Damato and Brett Barber.
It is a crew that has been together for years. It is also a reason why Britton can pluck a player like DePetris seemingly from nowhere and place a trust in him to make big plays in the most important stretch of the season.
Springfield trailed at halftime for only the second time this year, 7-0, when DePetris came crashing through to get a piece of a punt on his inner left arm with 5:57 left in the third quarter. It was the turning point in the game.
The Cougars got possession at the Strath Haven 30, and six plays later, tied the score 7-7, on a TJ Valetti one-yard touchdown plunge.
Zarel Saurez provided the game-winning 24-yard field goal with 6:20 to play in a game that never seemed in question, if you were on the Springfield side.
The Cougars allowed just two yards of total offense in the second half to Strath Haven and did not permit a first down. Strath Haven’s four second half drives began at its 15, 28, 16 and 23. Strath Haven never crossed midfield in the last 24 minutes.
In contrast, Springfield’s five second-half drives began at its 20, Strath Haven’s 30, the Springfield 45, the Strath Haven 28 and the Strath Haven 48.
The Cougars dominated the time of possession in the second half, and Britton and his group of football mad scientists pushed all the right buttons, like DePetris, who played discipline defense against Strath Haven coach Kevin Clancy’s fabled, and tricky Wing-T offense.
“This was my first time playing cornerback since kindergarten, and I knew a little bit about what I was doing,” said DePetris, who came pinching down on Strath Haven tailback Yosef Ali for a one-yard loss the play prior to his blocked punt. “I did not start until last week, and was on special teams on varsity. It was definitely a crash course in defense. My job was to contain, and tackle.
“I actually didn’t think I would get the punt, but I jumped for it and got it.”
And sent Springfield on a path that it has aimed for since last December.
Springfield has never won a district title in football, previously reaching the finals four time: In 2014 (under the Class 4A system), when the Cougars to Great Valley (21-0 in the Class 3A championship); in 2016 at Class 5A (when the PIAA instituted the 6A classification system) losing to Academy Park (24-18); in 2017 losing to Unionville (35-25) and last year, 2024, losing to West Chester Rustin (34-2).
Beating Strath Haven clinched the No. 1 seed in District 1 Class 5A, meaning no bus trips for the Cougars, who will host throughout the playoffs as long as they survive.
Britton, who has won six Central League title (2014, 2016, 2017, 2023, 2024 and 2025), knew last year this team was ready to make this run. After the Cougars lost to Rustin last November, the team took a few weeks off, and then buried themselves in the weight room.
“They wanted to get ready then, and they were determined to reach this point now,” Britton said. “We are not here without this coaching staff, and it is easy to play defense when Lou is getting me 40 points a game. We have great, determined kids who see a bigger picture. Right now, we’re 0-0 and that’s the way the guys look at it.”
No. 1-seed Springfield will host No. 16 seed Upper Dublin (4-6) next Friday, while No. 4 Strath Haven (8-2) will host No. 13 Upper Moreland (6-4). Chester, the No. 2 seed, and Springfield are the only undefeated teams in all of District 1. The Clippers (10-0) will host No. 15 seed Marple Newtown (5-5) next Saturday, 11 a.m. at the Chester Athletic Complex.
Chester and Springfield are two teams from rival Delaware County leagues that have circled each other from afar the entire season. As November winds down, they may be on a collision course with one another.
Scoring Summary
Strath Haven (8-2/7-2 Central League) 0 7 0 0 – 7
Springfield (10-0/9-0 Central League) 0 0 7 3 – 10
2nd Quarter
SH – Derek Bradley 39 pass from Luke Mulhern (Matt Styer kick), :44
3rd Quarter
Spr. – TJ Valetti 1 run (Zarel Saurez kick), 3:23
4th Quarter
Spr. – Saurez 24 FG, 6:20
Joseph Santoliquito is an award-winning sportswriter who has been covering high school football since 1992 and is the president of the Boxing Writers Association of America. He can be followed on Twitter @JSantoliquito. Follow EasternPAFootball.com on Twitter @EPAFootball.