The Fairfield Eagles dropped a pair of games to the Franklin Lions and Mexia Blackcats in the first full week of district 20-3A play.
The Eagles travelled to Franklin to take on the top 20 Lions. The Eagles and Lions battled in the game throughout, but a late surge pushed the Lions to a 65-58 win.
Fairfield matched the Lions in the first quarter with solid shooting from behind the three-point line. George Zimmerman and Cal Wilson each hit threes in the opening period and Jy’ren Canady kept the Lions offense moving completing a three-point play. While the Eagles were moving the ball around equally, Franklin post Devin Hidrago scored the first 16 points, all the Lion points in the first period and the teams were tied at 16-16.
Canady raised his game with hot shooting in the second period and Pierre Algood had some big shots and great passing to set up Canady. Hidrago continued to lead the Lions with, finishing the half with 22 points, but the Eagles grabbed the lead in the final seconds and took a 34-31 lead at the half.
The third period was Canady and Algood against Hidrago. The Franklin star slowed some in the period and the defenses took control. Jaden Jackson and Hidrago paced the offense, but many were off missed shots that Frag Owens put back on offensive rebounds for the Lions.
Franklin erased the halftime deficit, and the score was tied at 46-46 heading in the final period.
Franklin eased out to a lead in the fourth period with Owens taking two offensive rebound and turning them into instant points. Hidrago continued to score, and he would hit some big free throws to keep the Lions in the lead. Canady hit a pair of three-pointers under heavy defensive pressure to stay in close contact with the Lions. Hidrago hit four free throws in the final seconds, he ended the game with 34 points, to take the 65-58 win and remain unbeaten in district play.
The Eagles returned home to the Johnson Activity Center to take on neighbor county rival Mexia. The Blackcats cracked the top-ten rankings and entered the game just shy of the 20-win plateau. Mexia would win the game going away on the road and stay on top of the district standings with the Franklin Lions.
Fairfield led at the end of the first period and hit only four shots. Freshman guard Kel Collins hit a shot early and Camren Daniels answered quickly with a three pointer. Landon Anderson and Caden Grayson gave the Blackcats an early lead, but the Eagles countered with three pointers from George Zimmerman and Canady and led 12-11 at the end of the first period.
In the second period, senior Blackcat guard Landon Anderson began to take control of the game. He hit a three pointer and led the offense to a 24-10 run to stretch the lead out to 35-22.
Canady and Anderson took over the scoring in the second half, but the Blackcats expanded the lead to 17 at the end of the third and eventually, the 87-63 win.
Anderson led all scorers with 28 points and Canady led the Eagles with 22 points. Other Eagles in double figures were Algood with 17 points, and Daniels with 13. Other Mexia Blackcats in double digits were Tej Bryant with 14 points, and Hunter Fitch with 10 points in the district win.
(Photos by Payton Botelho)
