After an early-season drought, Fairfield’s football team won its first game of the year last weekend … and looked pretty darn good in the process, beating Lakota East, 38-35, in the closing seconds with a field goal.
The Indians travelled to East last Friday for a battle between two unexpectedly 0-3 teams. The Thunderhawks got on the board first with an early TD, but then Fairfield scored three consecutive times to take a 21-7 lead at the half.
East and Fairfield traded TDs in the third quarter, but then the Hawks outscored the Indians 3-1 in TDs in the fourth quarter to tie everything up with just 1:12 to go in the game.
At that point, Fairfield began an impressive – and fast – drive down the field, setting up placekicker Aiden McGuire for a 27-yard game-winning FG with just 11 seconds to go. Derion Prophett then intercepted a desperation East pass to close the game.
On offense, QB Talon Fisher was 8/16 passing for 172 yards and two TDs. He was also the team’s leading rusher, running 20 times for 147 yards and three TDs, including one 63-yard dash. The game was a battle of powerful QBs, as East’s Jamison Kitna – son of East coach and former Bengal QB Jon Kitna – was 25/39 passing for 228 yards and three TDs, plus also ran for one TD.
Noah King led Fairfield receivers with three catches for 108 yards and a TD. Ashion Ruff also had two catches for 43 yards and a TD.
On defense, Rayzier Jones and Demiere Clark led the Tribe with 10 tackles apiece, while Braeden Shanklin and Raymir Coney each had 8.
Fairfield returns home next Friday to host the 1-3 Mason Comets.
Photos by journalism teacher Mark Braam can be downloaded at bit.ly/FFFootVEast.
