The Fairfield Eagles built a three-touchdown lead and cruised to a 49-21 win at Rocket Field in Robinson. The 49-21 win earns the Eagles their first win of the season and they are set to begin District 8-3A Division I play.

Sacking the Robinson quarterback is Fairfield Eagle #77 Samuel Marsters, with an assist by his teammates. Marsters was named Central Texas Defense Player of the Week by smoaky.com for his game performance.

The Robinson Rocket had 92 offensive snaps the previous week and were still able to rip off 87 on Friday night, but the Eagles kept the Rockets from scoring at key points in the game and the defense made huge plays throughout the night to set the offense up in great positions.

Robinson took the first possession and were forced to punt without gaining a first down. Samuel Marsters ended the drive with a third down sack for a seven-yard loss and the Rockets punted. Fairfield went 77 yards on nine plays. The converted on key third down plays with the passing of junior quarterback Cameron Cockerell and the running of Braiden Barrett. Cockerell called his own number from nine yards and took a big hit at the goal line but scored the touchdown. The extra point failed and the Eagles led 6-0 midway through the first quarter.

The Rockets moved into the Fairfield side of the field and faced a fourth down. Freshman quarterback Jaxsen Ludlow dropped to pass and was immediately sacked by Marsters and Carter Richard, turning the ball over on downs.

Rooting for the Eagles is Fairfield cheerleader Alessia Basden during the game against Robinson last Friday.

Marsters, Roque, River, Evan Chavers and Brady Williams lived in the Robinson backfield. They made play after play, stopping Rocket drives at key moments and not allowing the Rockets off the launch pad and into the consistent movement of their offense.

The Eagles would turn that into points just before the end of the first quarter. Barrett pushed his way in on a one yard run to extend the lead to 13-0 after the Jonathon Garcia extra point.

Fairfield got another big defensive play when Ludlow had the ball stripped from him on another sack. Julio Roque scooped the ball and rumbled downfield. He was tackled at the three-yard line and the Eagles were that far away from taking a three score lead. Barrett scored his second touchdown of the game on a two-yard run and the Eagles led 20-0 with 8:54 remaining in the first half.

Robinson put points on the board with 5:08 left in the half. Ludlow passed to Trysten Blackburn for a 13-yard score, converting on a fourth down opportunity. The point after was blocked and the Eagle lead was cut to 20-6.

The teams exchanged possessions as the end of half neared. Cockerell was intercepted and the Buffalo drive stalled and they had to punt. The kick sailed and bounced to the one-yard line and the Eagles faced a long drive. Cockerell converted a third down to get the Eagles out of the shadow of their own goal post. Cockerell dropped to pass and hit Jacorey Daniels across the middle and he took care of the rest. The catch and run covered 82 yards with a shad over a minute remaining in the first half and the Eagles led 27-6 at the half.

Fairfield fumbled the ball on their first possession of the second half and Buffalo turned it into points. Robinson moved downfield and Christian Lujan scored on a one-yard run, cutting the lead to 27-14 midway through the third quarter.

The Eagles wasted no time answering that touchdown. Daniels caught his second touchdown, on a magnificent catch, on a six-yard pass that put the Eagles up 34-14.

The final minute of the third quarter moved quickly with two touchdowns going on the board. Lujan scored on a one yard run with :47 seconds remaining cutting the lead to 34-21. Fairfield answered in less than thirty seconds. A couple of pass completions to Garcia moved quickly downfield. Daniels caught his third touchdown of the night, this one covering 12 yards and the lead to 41-21.

Chavers added a 69-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter and the final score was a season high for the Eagles at 49-21.

Taking it in for a touchdown is Fairfield Eagle #22 Braiden Barrett.

Cockerell completed 17 of 25 passes for 308 yards and three touchdowns. Jonathon Garcia caught ten of those passes for 161 yards and another 50 yards rushing. Daniels had a big night with four catches for 110 yards and three touchdowns.

Samuel Marsters was named Central Texas Defense “Player of the Week” by smoaky.com. He had 7 tackles, 3 TFL, 2 sacks, and 3 QBP.

Fairfield will take to the road in their District 8 Division I opener on Friday night. They will travel to Eustace to take on the Bulldogs.

According to Eustace ISD, all ticket sales will be online for the Junior and High School games scheduled for this week. Here is the link: https://athletics.eustaceisd.net/44283_1

In other district openers, the Malakoff Tigers will host the Kemp Yellowjackets, and the Mexia Blackcats will host the Groesbeck Goats, renewing the “Battle of the River.” The Teague Lions are open in the first week of district games.

(Photos by Payton Botelho)