The Fairfield Eagles went on a 21-0 run over the last quarter and a half to seal their first home win 45-25 over the Athens Hornets at Eagle Field Friday night. The Eagles have won their first three games of the season.
Fairfield senior quarterback Justin Abram ran through the Hornet defense for 307 yards and the Eagles offense controlled the line of scrimmage despite falling behind in the second quarter.
The Eagles took the ball for the first possession of the game and put some quick points on the board. Abram had 55 yards on the ground in the drive, including the final 29 for the first touchdown of the game. Tyler Haynes added the extra point for the early 7-0 lead with 10:21 remaining in the first quarter.
Athens did the same on their first possession and moved from midfield into the endzone. Nathan Sims was a big running back that was difficult to get to the ground. He ripped through the Eagle defense for a 13-yard gain inside the Fairfield 40. The drive hit pay dirt on a pass from quarterback Chase Friedrich to Jerquindon Taylor for the 17-yard score across the middle. The point after failed and the Eagles hung onto a 7-6 lead midway through the first quarter.
Fairfield extended their lead using up ten plays and a huge amount of time for the score. With the running of Eli Martin and Jar-Mychael Hudson, the Eagle offense moved into position. The drive stalled inside the Athens 15-yard line and Haynes came on to kick a 29-yard field goal on the first snap of the second quarter.
The Hornets went back to mixing up the pass and the run to gain the lead with just under ten minutes remaining in the half. Friedrich hit Taylor for their second touchdown connection from ten yards out and Athens took the 12-10 when the point after failed.
The Eagle offense began their third possession and got points again midway through the second quarter. Beginning at the Eagle 30, Fairfield used the running of Abram and Hudson to cross midfield. Hudson had a 13-yard run inside the 20 for a first down and four plays later, Abram scored his second touchdown of the night on a one-yard plunge. Haynes gave the Eagles a five-point lead at 17-12.
Athens would take the lead into the locker room and use almost the remaining seven minutes on the clock. The Hornet drive started on their own 26-yard line and sixteen plays later, Sims scored by bulldozing his way into the endzone on a two-yard run to take the lead 18-17. The try for two failed and the Hornets took the one-point lead into half.
The Hornets opened the second half of the game with their possession and quickly gave the Eagle offense a chance to get back on the field. Taylor took the handoff and it was knocked away and Aiden Brackens recovered the loose ball at the Hornet 43.
It took Fairfield only three plays to regain the lead. On second down and 12 from the 45-yard line, Abram found a seam up the middle of the field and raced 45 yards for the touchdown and the 24-18 lead over the Hornets.
Athens would find the lead again on another drive that took them the entire length of the field and Sims capped the nine-play drive with a six-yard score. The extra point was good and the Hornets led 25-24 with 8:32 remaining in the third quarter.
That score would mark the final time Athens would find pay dirt in the scoring department. Fairfield would go on to score the final 21 points in the game to preserve the victory. Abram added his fourth touchdown of the game on a six-yard run with 3:42 remaining in the third quarter. He would add a touchdown pass to Carl Daniels on what everyone thought would be a penalty for movement by the defense. There was no whistle so the play continued and Abram lofted a pass and Daniels tipped it to himself as he crossed the goal line. Hudson would add a final score on a 44-yard run midway through the final quarter.
Fairfield begins the season at 3-0 and will remain home to host the Palestine Wildcats in a game that has begun to become a rivalry between the two schools.
