Fairfield’s home opener delivered all the drama fans could ask for, but ultimately ended in heartbreak as the visiting Centerville Big Reds, ranked in the top 15 of Class 2A, escaped with a 44-38 victory in a back-and-forth thriller.
The Trojans showed they could hang with a solid opponent, rushing for an impressive 394 yards and converting most of their third-down attempts. Six different Fairfield players found the end zone in the high-scoring affair, demonstrating the offensive balance that has coaches excited about this season’s potential.
Fairfield’s ground game was the story of the night, with 4 different running backs contributing to the 394-yard rushing performance. Junior Zandrik Allison led the charge with 143 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, including a spectacular 52-yard run that set up a second-quarter score.
Ethan Bisgard added 101 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while Spencer McCready contributed 63 yards and a 42-yard touchdown run that briefly gave Fairfield a 3rd-quarter lead. Quarterback Voss Richardson showed his dual-threat ability with 63 yards rushing and a touchdown, plus a 25-yard touchdown pass to Blake Burnett.
The scoring was spread among 6 players: Allison, Bisgard, McCready, Richardson, Burnett, and sophomore Brady Wigle, who capped the Fairfield scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter.
While the offense put up impressive numbers, it was Centerville’s passing attack that proved to be the difference. The Big Reds’ quarterback completed 12 of 14 passes for 259 passing yards, many of them downfield strikes that kept Fairfield’s defense on its heels.
Fairfield’s defense did manage to contain Centerville’s running back, Makoa Kaleponi, who had rushed for over 190 yards in Week 1 but was held to just 22 yards against Fairfield. However, Centerville’s versatile offensive approach, including effective use of the Wildcat formation, kept the Trojans guessing.
Ethan Bisgard led Fairfield’s defensive effort with 8.5 tackles, while Christian Rassmussen added 5.0 tackles and Tucker Robertson contributed 4.5 tackles.
The contest featured multiple lead changes and momentum swings throughout. Fairfield struck first on Bisgard’s 4-yard touchdown run, but Centerville answered quickly with a touchdown and two-point conversion to take an 8-7 lead after the first quarter.
The second quarter saw both offenses find their rhythm. Richardson’s 25-yard touchdown pass to Burnett and Allison’s 2-yard scoring run gave Fairfield a 20-16 advantage, but Centerville responded with a 34-yard touchdown pass to take a 22-20 halftime lead.
The see-saw battle continued in the third quarter, with Fairfield briefly retaking the lead at 32-30 on Richardson’s 1-yard quarterback sneak before Centerville answered with another touchdown pass.
The fourth quarter featured one final Fairfield surge, as Wigle’s 1-yard touchdown run tied the game at 38-38. However, Centerville managed one final score to secure the victory.
Head Coach Matt Jones expressed mixed emotions after the contest, praising his team’s competitive spirit while acknowledging areas for improvement.
“We have a ton of weapons. It’s really awesome that six different guys could find the end zone,” he said. “The fact that we rushed for almost 400 yards and had a high percentage of our third downs converted was amazing.”
Coach noted the razor-thin margins that decided the game: “The game was extremely close. There were a few plays here or there that could have gone either way. When you’re playing a good team like they are, it usually comes down to one or two plays.”
He praised Centerville’s performance, particularly their quarterback: “The quarterback was 12 of 14 passing, and they weren’t just little dump-offs. They were throws down the field. One catch that their kid made – if that happened in college, they’d probably watch it 22 times.”
One of the most encouraging aspects for Fairfield was the performance of several underclassmen. Sophomores Chase Countryman, Hank Konczal, Brady Wigle, Aiden Mizelle, and Tucker Robertson all made significant contributions.
“These guys were playing 9th and 10th grade curtain raisers last year,” Jones noted. “These were young guys taking steps forward. That was huge.”
Despite the disappointing result, there were plenty of positives for Fairfield to build upon. The Trojans have now played competitively against two ranked opponents – Centerville and previously against Benton in Class 3A.
“When you lose, you can learn, and we need to learn from this one,” the coach said. “Our team’s extremely competitive. Overall, I’m really happy with the kids.”
The Trojans will look to bounce back next week, carrying the confidence that they can compete with anyone when they execute at their highest level for their Homecoming battle against Mediapolis. With a balanced offensive attack and emerging young talent, Fairfield appears poised for a strong season ahead after some minor setbacks.
