The Fairfield Eagles committed five turnovers and dug a big hole they could not escape from and the Gilmer Buckeyes advanced to the Regional Quarterfinal with a 56-35 win over the Eagles Friday night at Mesquite Memorial Stadium.
The Eagles were able to grab an early lead in the game. Trailing 6-0 midway through the first quarter. Senior quarterback Justin Abram connected with Demarcus Hayes across the middle for the 33-yard touchdown. Tyler Haynes added the extra point for the only Eagle lead of the night. Davion Smith had scored on a 53 yard earlier in the quarter.
Gilmer scored on the first play of the second quarter with a six-yard run by Darrell Bush and quickly followed that up with another one from 17 yards to build a 21-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
Fairfield managed to keep the game close and draw to within a touchdown on the next possession. Abram hit Haynes with a 20-yard pass and two plays later, he tossed a short pass to DeQuann McWilliams and he raced up the near sideline for the 53-yard touchdown.
Gilmer added a field goal and after an Eagle interception, Buckeye quarterback Mason Hurt tossed a short pass to Jaydon Griffin and the connection went for 86 yards for the ten-point Buckeye lead. Gilmer would add one more score before the half on a Brandon Tennison three-yard run and a 39-14 lead.
The Buckeyes took advantage of Eagle mistakes the entire night but the Fairfield offense turned the ball over on three consecutive possessions, turning into a field goal and a 22-yard run by Bush. Gilmer would add a touchdown to begin the fourth quarter on a run by Davion Smith to build a 56-14 lead.
In the final moments, Fairfield would add three touchdowns. Abram had a 63-yard kickoff return to the one-yard line and a few plays later, Jar-Mychael Hudson scored on a three-yard run. Hudson later added a 67-yard run and Abram finished the season with a 44-yard run before the clock expired.
The Fairfield end the season at 7-5 on the season and the only District 8-4A Division II team to enter the third round was the Waco Conally Cadets with a win over Longview Spring Hill. Mexia lost to Sunnyvale 28-17 and Salado was dominated by top ranked Texarkana Pleasant Grove.
It’s on to basketball coverage for the Fairfield Eagles, so keep turning the pages of the Freestone County Times for the best in Freestone County sports coverage.
(Photos by Shae Garcia)
