Stevenson’s football team was able to play one out of three scheduled spring games, on April 10. This was their first game since Nov. 23, 2019, due to COVID-19.

Despite the team’s long absence away from practicing and gameplay, they managed to defeat Alvernia 28-10. This is the Mustangs’ first spring game ever since football is typically a fall sport.

The team put up exceptional numbers dominating on both sides of the ball and allowing only one touchdown, a total of two-hundred yards, and three sacks on defense. The offense scored four touchdowns, scoring 21 of their points in the first half with contributions from Darian Littlejohn, who finished the game with 133 receiving yards and a touchdown, and Kevin Joppy, who rushed for 181 yards and a scored a touchdown, as well.

According to Donovan Hale, a junior wide receiver on the football team, coaches remained optimistic about the start of the season ever since the start of the pandemic. The Mustang coaching staff often kept in contact with their players through BlueJeans meetings and phone calls. Despite the challenges of being face-to-face at times, they made sure to study the game and create their strategies by constantly watching film and having team meetings throughout quarantine during the fall season.

With the ever-changing situation with team sports, the football team was unsure of when exactly their next game would be played. Getting approved for a spring season was exciting but finding a team to play against was going to be a challenge. With short notice, they were able to

schedule games against Alvernia, Susquehanna, and Catholic. The players did not know if they were going to play any of these games, but they were prepared for any outcome.

According to Uthman Bruce, a junior tight end on the football team, practice often felt continuous since they were unsure if they were going to play even during game week. Bruce also said that playing for the first time since the pandemic was both bittersweet and nerve wracking since he was still concerned with catching COVID-19 from the opposing team.

Nevertheless, the Stevenson football team has persevered through plenty of hardships since the pandemic, and they continue to work through these tough times to take their team to the next level, and they look forward to playing games in the fall of 2021.