POLAND — What looked like a sure thing for Spruce Mountain in the first quarter became a seesaw battle when two stubborn defenses slugged it out the last three quarters of a Class C football game Friday night.

The Phoenix put the kibosh on Poland’s running and passing game most of the evening, but the Knights made the necessary adjustments on defense to slow down Spruce Mountain’s offense — especially in the second half.

Still, the Phoenix kept clawing away at the Knights and eventually emerged with a 20-6 victory on a chilly autumn night.

“We were banged up. We had to play a lot of different players today,” Spruce Mountain coach Walter Polky said. “These guys, they are tough. They are a tough team and it is tough playing here. You have the homecoming atmosphere. They are juiced; they are ready to go.

“I was proud how our guys played today. Our senior leadership was unbelievable tonight. We got the stop when we needed it. We got the drive when we needed it, and that’s all on them.”

Both teams were missing key players due to injuries.

Spruce Mountain was holding on to a 14-6 lead in the fourth quarter when the Knights’ sputtering offense came to life in the final minutes of the third quarter with two drives. For evening, the Knights had 33 rushes for 57 yards. Spruce Mountain’s 30 rushes amounted to 137 yards.

Poland got good field position late in the third when it took over possession the 30-yard line. The Knights made it all the 4-yard line and had a chance to tie the game, but they fumbled the ball.

“The defense especially I thought played really, really tough,” Poland coach Ted Tibbetts said. “We have a bunch guys down. We are missing a starting tackle that had concussion we just found out today.

“Hats off to Spruce. They made a couple of big plays. We had a couple plays we couldn’t make. The kids played hard. They played inspiring on defense.”

The Phoenix got the ball back on 9-yard line early in the fourth quarter and marched all the way down to Poland’s 1 where Dillion Webster shoved into the end zone on a 4th-and-1 situation for the touchdown with 3:55 left in the game. The kick failed, but Spruce Mountain was now the owner of a comfortable 20-6 lead which held the rest of the way.

In the opening quarter, the Phoenix used their no-huddle offense and scored when Andrew Darling scored from the 15 and Caulin Parker rushed in the extra two points, giving Spruce Mountain a 8-0 lead.

With 1:36 left in the first quarter and the Phoenix sitting precariously on their 3-yard line, Parker reeled off a stunning 97-yard pass to Austin Henault for a touchdown. The rush failed, but Spruce Mountain was sitting pretty with a 14-0 lead.

Then came another stunning turn of events when Poland’s defense forced the Spruce Mountain to fumble at its 16 and John Fossett jumped on the loose ball in the end zone for the Knights’ first and only touchdown in the second quarter. Poland’s extra point failed, but now it was a 14-6 game and still up for grabs for both teams heading in the second half.