“It’s a community win. It’s a family win,” Fairfield first-year coach Justin Roden said. “I joke about it, but I mean it. Making the jump and traveling to do all that stuff and making some sacrifices away from home and the family, it’s just bigger than one game. I don’t want to put the cart in front of the horse.
“Everybody here — as hard as this community works — it’s moments like this that make Homecoming so special. Our heart was awesome.”
Fairfield (3-2, 3-1 GMC) has won three in a row and beat Lakota West (2-3, 2-2 GMC) for the first time since 2019, when the Indians won on the road 33-7.
“It’s amazing,” Fairfield senior quarterback Dominic Back said. “Such a great feeling. That’s a great football team. We were game-planning for them for so long and putting all of our energy into them. We came out on top.
“It’s the greatest feeling I’ve ever had.”
Roden said the plan heading into Friday was to involve the running game as much as possible. And the Indians’ defense matched the Firebirds’ intensity for 48 minutes on top of that.
“Defense played outstanding,” Back said. “Offense got the ball down the field when we needed to. When we needed points, we got points. And we came out with the win.
“This is going to be a momentum builder. We’re going to run off of this, and nobody can stop us after this. I believe in my guys. I believe in my coaches — all of us. We’re going to be great.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Lakota West scored on a Kenyon Norman plunge with under four minutes left in the first quarter to make it 7-0.
Fairfield orchestrated a lengthy drive in the second quarter that ended on a Back touchdown run that tied it up at 7-7 with 54 seconds showing on the clock.
Possessions were limited in the second half, but it was Fairfield that drove down the field to set up Gagen’s field goal in the final minutes — which sent the Homecoming crowd into a frenzy.
The Indians’ defense held on down the stretch.
“We’re just not very good right now,” said Lakota West coach Tom Bolden, whose squad was trying to bounce back from a loss to Princeton. “We’re just not very good.
“Obviously, Tyson Davis being hurt kills us — leading the GMC (in receiving). That’s who I feel terrible for. I feel terrible for him,“ Bolden added. ”Nobody could step up for him. Nobody stepped up for him, and that’s a shame. That’s really a shame.
“We’re just not very good. We were just undisciplined so much at times, and it just kills us. It’s unbelievable. I don’t know, man. Maybe that’s kids. Maybe I’m missing something else and whatever, but I’ll get back to Middletown, and we’ll get it figured out. We’ll see who’s with me. Come tomorrow morning and Monday, and we’ll go from there.”
Back led all rushers with 71 yards on 13 carries, while Fairfield freshman Corrious Booker had 58 yards on 21 touches. Gabe Ross wrapped up a game-high 13 tackles and Stone Butler had an interception for Fairfield, which travels to Lakota East next Friday.
Jaydan Cook and Chris Bradley snagged interceptions and Jackson Smith threw for 136 yards on 13 of 20 passing for Lakota West, which hosts unbeaten Middletown.
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
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