The Fairfield Trojans came up short in a thrilling homecoming contest Friday night, falling to Mediapolis 34-42 in a game that showcased explosive offensive play from both teams.
Offensive Fireworks Light Up Homecoming
The contest turned into an offensive showcase, with both teams combining 76 points and over 700 yards of total offense. Fairfield’s ground game was particularly impressive, led by a trio of running backs who each found the end zone.
Ethan Bisgard paced the Trojans with 106 rushing yards on 12 carries and 1 touchdown, while also contributing 42 receiving yards on 4 catches. Spencer McCready provided a spark with 80 yards and 2 touchdowns on just 4 carries, including scoring runs of 51 and 19 yards. Zandrik Allison added 57 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries, while also hauling in the game’s opening touchdown pass.
Quarterback Voss Richardson managed the offense efficiently, completing 5 of 11 passes for 52 yards and 1 touchdown while adding 20 rushing yards on 10 carries.
Mediapolis Controls the Ground Game
The Bulldogs dominated on the ground behind senior Parker Holsteen’s monster performance. Holsteen carried the ball 31 times for 207 yards and 4 touchdowns, consistently wearing down the Trojan defense throughout the contest. Throughout his first 2 games against Mount Pleasant and Keokuk, he was only held to 90 yards total.
Junior Brock Spears complemented Holsteen with 89 yards and 2 touchdowns on 12 carries, while quarterback Quincy King efficiently managed the passing attack with an 8-for-10 performance for 105 yards.
Game Flow and Key Moments
Mediapolis struck first with a 5-yard touchdown run by Holsteen, but Fairfield’s response was immediate and explosive. Bisgard broke loose for a spectacular 53-yard run that set up Richardson’s 10-yard touchdown pass to Allison. However, the Trojans missed the extra point, leaving them trailing 6-7.
The 2nd quarter became a showcase for both offenses. Mediapolis extended their lead when Brock Spears found the end zone on a 20-yard run, but Fairfield answered right back. McCready electrified the homecoming crowd with a 51-yard touchdown scamper, though the 2-point conversion attempt fell incomplete, keeping the score at 12-14. Mediapolis showed their resilience by converting a crucial 4th down during their next drive, which culminated in Holsteen’s 2nd touchdown of the night from 16 yards out. The Bulldogs took a 12-21 advantage with 5:49 remaining in the half. Fairfield refused to fold, mounting another scoring drive that ended with Bisgard’s 17-yard touchdown run. The extra point attempt went wide, leaving the Trojans trailing 18-21. With just 9 seconds left in the half, Mediapolis struck again as Holsteen powered in from 1 yard out after a drive that started at the Fairfield 27-yard line, giving the visitors an 18-28 halftime lead.
The 3rd quarter saw both defenses tighten up initially. Fairfield took over at their own 43-yard line after a successful 4th down conversion and eventually McCready scored his 2nd touchdown on a 19-yard run. Bisgard’s successful 2-point conversion brought Fairfield within 2 points at 26-28. Mediapolis responded quickly, starting their next drive at their own 39-yard line and marching for another Spears touchdown from 5 yards out with 1:42 remaining in the 3rd quarter, pushing their lead back to 26-35.
The 4th quarter saw Mediapolis control field position. Holsteen sealed the victory with his 4th touchdown of the night, a 31-yard run with 6:11 remaining. Fairfield managed 1 final scoring drive, aided by a 22-yard run from Richardson. Allison punched it in from 4 yards out, and Bisgard added the 2-point conversion with 4:02 left on the clock, but it proved too little, too late in the 34-42 defeat.
Defensive Struggles
While the offense moved the ball effectively, Fairfield’s defense struggled to contain Mediapolis’s powerful rushing attack. Aiden Mizelle led the team with 9 tackles, while McCready added 7 tackles. Notably, Bisgard, who had been among the top tacklers in Class 3A, was limited to just 4 tackles – an unusually quiet defensive performance for the versatile player.
Coach’s Perspective
Head coach Matt Jones acknowledged the defensive struggles after the game, particularly against the run. “We struggled quite a bit against the run versus Mediapolis. Our tackling and ability to get off blocks was lacking. Number 31 was a powerful runner,” Jones said, referencing Holsteen’s dominant performance.
Jones noted that the defensive issues weren’t limited to run defense. “Also, our kickoff coverage struggled with assignments and tackling. We need to keep focusing on fundamentals and footwork. Lots of times our feet will stop on contact defensively,” he explained.
Despite the loss, Jones praised his offensive unit’s performance. “Offensively we have done a lot of good things. Backs are running hard and taking care of the football and blocking well and also carrying out fakes. They are really buying into that and I’m very proud of them.”
Jones also highlighted the progress of his offensive line and quarterback. “The offensive line and tight ends are also doing a lot of good work up front. They have seen a lot of different fronts and they have adjusted overall very well. That being said, there is still room for improvement with pad level and double teams and footwork. Voss has improved and is also running the ball well. His fakes have gotten better as well.”
He continues saying that consistency remains a key focus for his team moving forward. “We go into the football game wanting to control the line of scrimmage. Wanting to take care of the football and possess the football and control the flow of the game. We’ve done a really good job of that at times. Consistency is something that we’re always looking to improve at.”
Looking Ahead
The loss serves as a learning experience for the Trojans, who showed they can move the ball against quality competition but need to shore up their defensive fundamentals. Fairfield will look to bounce back in their next contest in Knoxville as they continue their season before district play.
You can rewatch this game on the Ottumwa Radio YouTube channel.
