The Brownsboro Bears. took a 31-14 halftime lead but the Eagles had numerous opportunities to gain the lead but the Bears held them off to win 31-28 at Brownsboro Friday night.
The Eagles drop to 0-2 on the young season and will finish next week with the third of three road games to open the season.
Fairfield started the game with a turnover on a snap over the head of quarterback Kaden Crawford and the Bears defense recovered at the Fairfield 22. Brownsboro picked up a first down and reached as far as the 11-yard line. The Eagle defense held firm and forced the Bears to kick a 30-yard field goal four minutes into the game. Brownsboro took a 3-0 which would prove to be the difference in the game.
The Eagles wasted no time putting points on the board and taking the early lead. Fairfield began on the 35-yard line and the first play of the drive was a hand off to Eli Martin. He broke through a big opening in the defense and raced 65 yards for the touchdown. Jonathon Garcia added the extra point and the Eagles took a 7-3 lead.
Brownsboro needed only three plays to regain the lead. On first and ten from the Eagle 43-yard line, Brownsboro connected on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Jaxyn Rogers. The extra point put the Bears ahead 10-7.
The Bears began their first drive of the second quarter with the second touchdown pass from Rogers, this from 29 yards out. Baker hauled in the pass for the touchdown and the Bears led 17-7.
Following a Fairfield punt, Brownsboro scored via the big play. On second down from the Brownsboro 38-yard line, Landon Hayter took the ball in the backfield and outran the defense for the score and the 24-7 lead following the extra point.
The Eagles cut into the lead immediately on the ensuing kickoff. The ball landed in the arms of Garcia and he moved right and then left, picked up a couple of blocks and ran up the near sideline to complete an 84-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. Garcia then lined up for the extra point, drilled it through and the Eagles cut into the lead and trailed 24-14.
Brownsboro added one more long touchdown play before the half ended. Rogers hit Baker a second time and converted a third down into a touchdown finishing a 75-yard pass play.
Fairfield would begin a classic comeback when they tried to take advantage of a punt that came off the punter’s foot odd and went backward, setting the Eagle offense up at the Brownsboro 27. Fairfield reached the eight-yard line and two incomplete passes turned the ball over on downs.
Brownsboro could not move out past the ten-yard line and another short punt, this one 14 yards, put the Eagles at the Brownsboro 24-yard line. The Eagles were turned away a second time when the Bears intercepted a pass.
The Bears had to punt and the Eagles went on a long drive. Beginning at the 28-yard line, Fairfield drove 72 yards on 11 plays, all on the ground, and scored on a quarterback keeper by Crawford from 24 yards away, converting a fourth down. The extra point failed but the Eagles had cut into the Brownsboro lead near the end of the third quarter. The score was 31-20 with the Bears continuing to lead.
The Eagle defense forced another Brownsboro punt. The Bears had 12 yards total offense in the second half. The punt set the Eagles at their own 20-yard line. They marched those 80 yards in 11 plays and scored on Martin’s second touchdown run of the night. His four-yard run and then conversion run closed the gap to 31-28 with 7:11 remaining in the game.
Brownsboro had disaster strike on their next possession with momentum clearly on the Fairfield sideline. Rowdy Hand jumped on a fumble at the Brownsboro 14-yard line and the Eagles were in position to take the lead. Martin ran for seven and a pair of one-yard runs set up a fourth down at the five-yard line. Crawford ran a quarterback keeper and was stopped short and the ball turned over on downs for the third time in the second half. Fairfield was in position five times and were turned away three times in the second half.
Fairfield would have one more chance but did not get inside the 20-yard line and the Eagles turned the ball over on downs and the Bears held on for the 31-28 win.
Martin had his second game of over 100 yards with 126 on 19 carries and the two touchdowns.
The Fairfield Eagles will travel for the third week in a row to Bruce Field to take on the Athens Hornets. The Hornets dominated the Waxahachie Life Mustangs 40-7 on Friday night.
(Photos by Ashlyn Garcia)
