The Fairfield Eagles kept the game close but fell in the season finale 25-16 in Lorena Friday night.
The Eagle football team had been eliminated a couple of weeks ago but made the final game respectable. Lorena had the district title wrapped up going into the game.
Lorena jumped out to the lead midway through the first quarter. Thor Hoffman had been the workhorse all season scored on a ten-yard run to put the Leopards on top 6-0 after a blocked point after attempt.
The Leopards would go up by two scores in the first quarter when the Lorena offense took to the air. Quarterback Cole Baker dialed long distance for Zach Pierce for a 52-yard scoring strike and a 12-0 lead with 2:37 remaining in the first quarter.
Fairfield had some problems moving the ball and the Lorena offense took the field with the intention of going up big in the first half. The Eagle defense had the final say and Elijah Ransom stepped in front of a Baker pass and returned it 70 yards for the score. Erick Rodriguez-Reyes kicked the extra point and the Eagles cut into the Leopard lead 12-7 with 6:53 remaining in the first half.
Lorena got that score back on the final play of the first half. Baker and Pierce connected for the second time for touchdowns, this one for a 29-yard score. The extra point was good and Lorena had a 19-7 halftime lead.
The third quarter almost went scoreless until Kameron Ransom broke away on a 21-yard run with 57 seconds left to cut the lead to 19-14. Lorena would add a 35-yard fumble return for their final score of the night. Elijah Ransom sliced in and blocked the extra point and returned it for two points for the Eagles to close out the scoring at 25-16.
Scott Batts reporting.
