Great Block by #79 Austin Hale allows #30 Jer-Mychael Hudson to gain yards as the ball carrier in the game against Mexia.
Kameron Ransom threw for a touchdown and ran for another and the Fairfield Eagles eliminated the Mexia Blackcats from playoff contention with a 24-13 win in the home finale Friday night.
Fairfield had already been eliminated from playoff consideration and Mexia held slim playoff hopes. The last time that both the Eagles and Blackcats were not playoff teams was back in 1995.
The Mexia special teams recovered the opening kickoff but could do nothing. Fairfield got on the board first when Akeem Jackson completed a 58-yard drive with a four-yard run with 3:31 remaining in the opening quarter. Zac Barlow added the conversion run for the early 8-0 lead.
Mexia had a short punt and Jailyn Tatum had a terrific punt return to the Blackcat 17-yard line. The Eagle offense turned the ball over with a fumble inside the five-yard line. Jakahre Hackett pounced on the loose ball and turned the Eagles away.
The Blackcat offense was able to put points on the board midway through the second quarter. Jaque Martin saw some of his first action in the Blackcat backfield and he delivered a seven-yard touchdown run. They try for two to tie the game fell short and the Eagles held an 8-6 lead.
Erick Rodriguez-Reyes added a 31-yard field goal to increase the lead to 11-6.
Mexia ran the clock and the offense to midfield and then they stalled. The Blackcat offense lined up in scrimmage formation and were called for a five-yard penalty. They tried the fourth down play again and were stopped and the Eagles had two minutes to move through half of the field. The Eagle offense did just that with :53 seconds to spare on a touchdown run by Ransom and the Eagles led 17-6 at the half.
The Eagle offense had two more opportunities to score in the game but were turned away with fumbles inside the five. They lost a total of three fumbles inside the ten-yard line.
The fourth quarter started with the Eagles driving and Ransom tossed a pass over the middle to Barlow for the 20-yard score and the 24-6 lead.
Martin rushed for a 74-yard run to the Fairfield sixteen-yard line and a couple of plays later, quarterback Travion Carter scored on a two-yard run. Carter was in for the injured Jaylen Gipson.
The Lorena Leopards have won the district title and are followed by the Robinson Rockets. Waco Conally and Salado will play Friday night for the third-place spot but both have clinched post-season berths. Fairfield will travel to Lorena to close out the season.
Scott Batts reporting.
FHS Eagle Kam Ransom during one of his carries of the game Friday night.
