The Fairfield Eagles advanced two rounds deep in the playoffs last season. An overtime loss to Bellville left a sour taste in their mouth. They are looking to sweeten the taste this season.
The Eagles returned 25 seniors to Coach John Bachtel’s sideline and he is delighted to have that many upperclassmen. As a matter of fact, he told us that is the “largest is my 11 that I have been at Fairfield.”
Fairfield was expecting great things in the 2018 season and in annual Texas Football magazine, they are the projected winner. This could be a tough district season for all of the participants, since the top four could be interchangeable, with Salado, Mexia and new member Madisonville.
I asked Coach Bachtel about his thoughts about realignment and he summed it up this way. Our district got tougher with the addition of Madisonville. I thought we could get Madisonville and lose Salado, so keeping Salado was a little bit of a surprise.” They were set to play Madisonville in week one but since they were realigned with the Mustangs, they needed a non-district game and the Rusk Eagles also needed one, so the game will happen in the season opener.
Fairfield returns six starters on the offensive side of the ball and five on the defensive side. Chad Rushin returns as the primary signal caller and the Eagle offense looked sharp in a scrimmage against the Teague Lions last Friday night. The Eagles will depend on an experienced offensive line and speedster Kadarius Walker in the backfield.
The Eagles teams goals are identical to most teams in the middle of August. They not only want to make the playoffs, but they want to make a deep run in the postseason. The Eagles also want to improve 1% each day and that improvement could be huge.
Fairfield does have a couple of coaching changes to note. Coach Anderson leaves the Eagle coaching staff to become the defensive coordinator at the Yellowjackets of Alvin High School. Coach Coffman leaves Fairfield to another set of Yellowjackets. He becomes the head coach and athletic director at Meridian.
The Eagles will have their first two games at home when they face the Rusk Eagles and Brownsboro Bears. They take to the road for the remaining two non-district games at Athens and Palestine.
Fairfield opens District 8-4A with a road contest in Lorena to face the Leopards and then have a showdown with the Madisonville Mustangs at Eagle Field.
On October 12, Mexia plays on the new turf in Mexa and then take a week off. They finish the regular season at home against Waco Conally, then travel to Robinson and conclude at home against the Salado Eagles
The Fairfield Eagles look to the stars, and the stars could produce a district title.
Turn to Section C for pictures of all the 2018 Fall athletes of Fairfield High School.
Scott Batts reporting.
