Hamilton coach Arvie Crouch said the Big Blue’s 2025 campaign has been defined by near-misses. His team has battled hard, stayed turnover-free for the most part and competed in nearly every game — but has struggled to finish.
“You see a lot of guys flying around making plays — but we’re not making enough," Crouch said. “We’re in every single game and had opportunities last week to get it done. We didn’t, and that’s what we’re working to fix.”
Hamilton (1-6, 1-5 GMC) has shown flashes of progress yet remains in search of a complete performance.
“We still haven’t put three phases of the game together,” Crouch said. “That’s our goal this week — get special teams, defense and offense to complement each other. If we can do that, we can win.”
“The GMC ain’t no joke. We have no room for mistakes. Last week we had a punt blocked — simple stuff that shouldn’t happen — and that’s where we’re at this season. Hopefully it’s this week that we clean that up.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Fairfield (4-3, 4-2 GMC), meanwhile, comes in on the upswing — winning three of its last four — after beating Lakota West and Mason. Still, Indians coach Justin Roden said his team’s play has been uneven — particularly away from Fairfield Alumni Stadium.
“I don’t wanna say we’re playing well — but we’re playing well in spurts,” said Roden, whose Indians are unbeaten at home and winless on the road. “We’re a pretty good football team at home, but when we leave the confines of our stadium and locker room — even short bus rides — we just haven’t played great for whatever reason.”
Roden said his team’s focus has been on sharpening fundamentals and maintaining physicality despite a rash of injuries. Fairfield doesn’t necessarily light up the stat sheet, but the senior leadership of quarterback Dominic Back and defensive back Gabe Ross have been a constant.
“One of the things that’s been consistent for us is just trying to continue to be a physical football team,” Roden said. “We want to win the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. Even with the injuries, our guys have done a good job of plugging holes and playing assignment football.”
The Fairfield coach said he’s been impressed by Hamilton’s toughness, even if the record doesn’t show it.
“If you look at Arvie’s record, you have a very false sense of that football team,” Roden said. “Hamilton has lost several games by one score. That record could easily be three or four wins the other way — which is synonymous with the GMC.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
Big Blue senior running back Andre Bailey is second in the GMC with 853 yards with nine scores. Junior defensive lineman Tra’Vion Bailey leads Hamilton with 64 tackles.
“I’ve known Arvie for a long time,” Roden said. “It’s always more enjoyable for the high school experience when you’re playing a neighbor, playing friends and guys that live just a few blocks down the street.
“Our kids are excited, our staff is excited, and as a newbie to this community, I’m learning more and more about how important this game is — not just to the football players, but to the people in the community itself.”
Crouch said the rivalry remains one of the best in southwest Ohio, and his team is eager to seize the moment.
“At the end of the day, the wins aren’t the most important thing,” Crouch said. “But they really help with confidence and just the program in general. People don’t always see how good we’re playing — they just see that 1-6. And that just ain’t good enough. We’ve gotta figure out how to get over the hump and start putting some wins in the column.”
Credit: Nick Graham
Credit: Nick Graham
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