By Kiley Diesner, reporting intern
By almost any description, the 2015 Sparks Railroaders were a success.
After winning just one game between 2012-14, the Railroader finished 3-7, 2-7 this fall. But that doesn’t make Thursday night any easier.
Sparks ended its season with an emotional 19-14 home loss to its in-town rival, Wooster (4-6, 3-6).
Despite the immediacy of the defeat, Sparks coach Rob Kittrell spoke to the strength of the senior class that played its final game in a Railroader uniform.
“They did a good job,” Kittrell said. “There’s a great group of seniors that we’re losing.”
Due to the rivalry between the two teams, there was a plethora of penalties, some of which stemmed from a small brawl in the beginning of the first quarter that resulted in a player from each team getting ejected.
The game was scoreless at the end of the first quarter, but Wooster quickly got on the board in the second quarter with a 4-yard touchdown run by quarterback Connor Doolin. Doolin later completed a 64-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Triplett, giving the Colts a 13-0 lead at the break.
Cue the comeback.
On the other side of the half, Sparks quarterback Sylis Sanchez pulled the Railroaders within a possession with a 68-yard touchdown pass to Bruce Hicks.
John Anguiano’s 9-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter gave the Railroaders their first lead of the night, 14-13.
However, minutes later, Doolin hit Triplett for another 64-yard touchdown, pushing the Colts back in front. For good.
“I think we all could’ve played better, I know we are a wonderful team,” Sparks junior running back Hunter O’meara said. “Next year we are going to try and have a winning season and make the playoffs.”
O’Meara had 136 yards on 22 carries in the season-ending loss.
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