The Mexia Blackcats crossed the goal line with an overtime two-point conversion and edged the Fairfield Eagles 36-35 at Blackcat Field on Friday night.
This game marked the second time in three weeks and two consecutive overtime games at home for the Blackcats and shows how evenly matched District 8-3A Division I has been and can be for the remainder of the regular season.
The Blackcats jumped out to a 21-0 lead and had the game in hand through the first quarter. Mexia took the first possession and marched 56 yards in ten plays to put the first score on the board. Blackcat quarterback Brett Swift was four of six on the drive converting on third and fourth down of the drive. Swift kept around the left side for the one-yard touchdown and the Blackcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead with 8:32 remaining in the first quarter.
The Eagles had a three and out and the punt put the Blackcats near midfield. This drive was 12 plays and covered 53 yards and Swift was four of five on the drive, converting two third downs and Jacques Cooper scored on a four-yard run to extend the lead to 14-0 with just over two minutes remaining in the first.
Fairfield picked up a first down on a pass to Jacorey Daniels from Cameron Cockerell but the drive stalled at midfield. The second quarter began with Swift dropping to pass and dumped a short pass to Cooper and he raced up the sideline for the 65-yard touchdown catch and run.
The third extra point by Hector Sanchez was good and the Blackcats held a 21-0 lead early in the second.
The Eagles offense was put in motion and put up an impressive drive that would end in points. Braiden Barrett controlled the tempo with runs for two first downs and Cockerell completed a pass to Evan Chavers for a first down. On the eighth play of the 75-yard drive, Cockerell hit Daniels for the 19-yard touchdown, cutting into the Blackcat lead. The point after was no good and the Eagles trailed 21-6 midway through the second quarter.
The Blackcats missed on a fourth down and the Eagles began another drive near midfield and this one would cut into the lead. Daniels caught a 23-yard pass inside the Blackcat 30 and then Jonathon Garcia took the jet sweep and turned the corner and dove for the corner and the 21-yard touchdown. Eli Castillo added the extra point and the Eagles cut the lead to 21-13 with 2:27 remaining in the first half.
Fairfield forced a punt late in the quarter and the short punt set the Eagles at their 43-yard line. Cockerell had two completions on the three-play drive. He hit Jake White for a 31-yard gain and then found Garcia for his second touchdown of the game for a 26-yard score. Rowdy Hand ran in the conversion and the game was tied with :20 remaining in the half.
The Eagles covered the kick and Cockerell was intercepted by Tej Bryant on the final play of the half.
The teams exchanged punts in the third quarter and the Eagles began a drive near midfield when Samuel Marsters knifed in a blocked a punt. Fairfield put the run game on display with Barrett carrying four straight times for a couple of first downs. Chavers caught a pass for a first down inside the Blackcat 30. On a third down and five from the 17, Barrett blasted through the Blackcat defense for the Eagles and their first lead of the night. The extra point gave the Eagles a 28-21 lead with 4:32 remaining in the third quarter.
Midway through the fourth quarter, the Blackcats would answer. Steven Milus ran for a first down and on the next play, Swift hit Bryant down the near sideline. The fingertip catch was made for the 58-yard score and tied the game with seven minutes remaining in regulation.
In the final minutes, Fairfield turned the ball over on downs when Kolby Adams was stopped a half yard short of the sticks by Andres Venegas.
The Eagles had one final push in regulation when Rowdy Hand tipped a pass from Swift and Calyn Wilson picked it off and the Fairfield offense began at the Blackcat 27. Cockerell passed to Garcia to convert a third down to the Mexia 16-yard line and on fourth down from there, Castillo had his 29-yard field goal attempt sail wide left as the buzzer sounded, so the teams prepared for an overtime session.
Fairfield had the first possession in the overtime period and Cockerell had two quick incompletions and the Eagles faced a fourth and 13 from the 28-yard line. Cockerell threw the slant to Daniels short of the goal line and he crossed for the score and the Eagles had the go-ahead touchdown following the extra point.
The Blackcats did not move on their first two plays and had third down from the 26. Swift passed to Bryant for the touchdown and left their offense on the field for the win. The combination worked again with Bryant hauling in the pass and the Blackcats sealed a 36-35 win.
In District 8-3A Division, the Fairfield Eagles have lost two consecutive district games and are behind Malakoff (3-0), Groesbeck (2-0), Mexia (2-1) and Teague (1-1). This next week will be a huge stale of games in Freestone County when the Teague Lions host the Mexia Blackcats and the Groesbeck Goats travel to Fairfield to take on the Eagles in a huge district matchup.
(Photos by Noah Wilson)
