The top-seeded Tigers forced three turnovers, registered five sacks and limited fourth-seeded Mogadore to 182 total yards in a 21-0 victory Saturday in a Division VI, Region 21 semifinal.

“I thought everyone played well defensively, from our linebackers to our secondary and especially up front,” said safety Beau Brungard, who recovered a fumble on a key Mogadore drive and added a late interception to help preserve the shutout. “Our defense has been great all year, but tonight we really executed the game plan well.”

The Tigers improved to 9-0 and will play host to third-seeded Norwayne next week.

“Defensively, we made some adjustments with the guys up front and they played a great game,” Springfield coach Sean Guerriero said. “They were holding up things at the line and allowing the back seven to run around the field and make plays. It was a great game plan by our staff and great job of execution by our players.”

Correspondent photo / Dave Dermer Springfield's Lukas Yemma catches a pass in stride for a big gain during the first half.

The best news for the Tigers is that they have things to work on next week after making seven penalties for 55 yards, including four holding penalties that helped to thwart two potential scoring drives.

“It’s always good when you don’t play your best and win because it gives us something to look forward to and improve next week,” Guerriero said. “We’ve got to clean that up and we know we’ll get another huge challenge next week. The reward for a good regular season means that we’ll be at home again, so we like that.”

Springfield scored first on its second possession, a 10-play, 66-yard march that was capped by Brungard’s 8-yard keeper up the middle of the Wildcats’ defense with 27 seconds left in the first period.

A quarterback sack by Marshall Yelkin in Mogadore’s next possession forced a three-and-out and the Tigers got the ball back near midfield. After a 45-yard pass connection between Brungard and Lukas Yemma, Clayton Nezbeth scored on a 1-yard run to make it 14-0 with 7:20 left until halftime.

Mogadore’s opening drive of the second half went 56 yards before Brungard recovered a fumble on his team’s 37-yard line.

Correspondent photo / Dave Dermer Springfield's Clayton Nezbeh hurdles over a block from from Bo Snyder during the second half Saturday night.

“Even though people like to talk about our offense and my part as the quarterback, I try to give my all physically and mentally on the defensive side, too,” Brungard said. “I like to stick my head in there and make things happen on that side of the ball.”

Nezbeth recorded the game’s final points on a scoop-and-score on a 12-yard fumble return with 7:08 left in the contest.

“The quarterback got hit and fumbled it and somebody kicked it out where I thought maybe I can just scoop and run rather than jump on it, so that’s what I did,” Nezbeth said. “I’ve never scored on offense and defense in the same game, so that was pretty fun.”

Brungard rushed 13 times for 84 yards and was 3-for-4 passing for 59 yards. Yemma had two grabs for 57 yards. Austin Tindell rushed for 59 yards on nine carries and Nezbeth finished with 43 yards on seven handoffs.

Zeek Worsencroft, Aaron Groner and Coleson Kertesz also were credited with quarterback sacks.