Spring Hill helmet

After scrambling to find two games earlier this season when scheduled opponents were sidelined due to COVID-19 issues, the Spring Hill Panthers find themselves on the other side this week.

Panther head football coach and athletic director Weston Griffis confirmed Thursday that Spring Hill’s scheduled District 8-4A Division II contest against Liberty-Eylau, set for tonight in Texarkana, has been canceled due to COVID-19 issues at Spring Hill.

The game will go down as an 18-point forfeit win for Liberty-Eylau based on the district’s guidelines. Next week’s scheduled game at home against Pleasant Grove will also go down as a forfeit by the Panthers.

Spring Hill drops to 3-5 overall and 0-3 in district play with the forfeits. Liberty-Eylau moves to 5-2 and 2-0.

Spring Hill opened the season with losses to Sabine (17-14) and Gladewater (66-21). When virus issues forced the next two opponents to cancel games, the Panthers scrambled and added games with Nevada Community and Anna — earning 48-28 and 25-19 wins.

The Panthers defeated Bullard, 27-23, in the final non-district game, and then dropped a 59-13 decision to Gilmer last week in the district opener.

Spring Hill’s next schedule game is Oct. 30 at Pittsburg, and the Panther are scheduled to close out the regular season at home on Nov. 6 against North Lamar.