The defending Division I Class 3A champions ran the first two legs of the 2026 campaign exactly like the first two games of the 2025 playoffs. And the results were the same.
The Lady Eagles travelled to Leon High School to take on the Franklin Lady Lions. Fairfield got off to a bit of a slow, but the smothering full court defense proved to be too much, and the Lady Eagles took the Bi-District game with a dominating 51-24 win.
Blayke Brackens shoots a jumper in the Area Championship against Grandview on Friday night. Fairfield won 81-37 to advance to the Regional Semi-Final against Hitchcock.
Fairfield opened the game with a couple of short jumpers by Blayke Brackens and Franklin answered with scores from Payton Conn and Breely Lively. Kaylee Williams and Keke Alexander each had a three pointer to build a 12-6 lead at the end of the first period.
Lively had a score off the glass and a pair of free throws to draw the game closer. Fairfield did not have a field goal in the period. Alexander, Williams and Jacelynn Schmidt each hit both of their free throws and held onto the six-point lead at the halftime break at 18-12.
The defensive pressure did not let up into the final eight minutes, and Fairfield turned that into a 17-0 run to begin the period. Alexander scored eight points in the final period and Brackens added six more in transition. Williams hit four of six free throws in the final minutes to close out the Lady Eagle 51-24 win.
The area matchup returned to Corsicana High School and the first two games were in the same place against the same opponent. The matchup was taking on the Grandview Lady Zebras. Fairfield opened with defensive pressure against a Lady Zebra starting lineup of primarily freshmen and sophomores and it showed early with Fairfield jumping out to a double-digit lead. Williams, K. K. Forge and Schmidt scored four points each and Savannah Hoskins scored seven in the period to try and keep the game close, but the Lady Eagles led 21-11.
The Fairfield defense turned into offense to open the second period. Schmidt, Kole Brackens and Alexander took the ball away in the backcourt multiple times and took easy scores. Williams hit a pair of three-pointers, and the Lady Zebras got a short jumper from Sarah McDaniel and a free throw and were outscored 24-3 in the period, and the Lady Eagles took a commanding lead 45-14 into the second half.
The Lady Eagles played the entire roster in the second half, and it was more of the same. Schmidt scored 11 points in the third period and went to the free throw line four times and converted them into points. Fairfield added to the lead and were ahead 67-24 heading into the fourth period.
Fairfield finished the final eight minutes, trading scores with Grandview and closed out the 81-37 win to move on in the playoffs. Codi Collins scored 11 points to lead the Grandview Lady Zebras. Schmidt scored 21 to lead four double digit scorers for the Fairfield Lady Eagles.
The Fairfield Lady Eagles move onto the regional quarterfinal game against the same opponent as one year ago, however it is in a different location. The Lady Eagles will battle the Hitchcock Lady Bulldogs at Navasota High School. The game is set for a 6:30 p.m. tipoff.
Kaylee Williams plays defense on the Grandview ball carrier on Friday night in the Area Championship.
(At Top)
The Lady Eagles defeated Grandview 81-37 in the Area Championship at Corsicana High School on Friday night, February 20. Pictured are (front) Delaney McGowan, Kaylee Williams, KeKe Alexander, Aaliyah Nash, Samayah Wiley, (back) Kole Brackens, Rhett Ralstin, Blayke Brackens, KK Forge, Jacelynn Schmidt, and Ja’Maria Bass. Fairfield advances and will take on Hitchcock in the Regional Semi-Final.
