The Fairfield Eagles committed three turnovers in Diboll territory and fell to the Lumberjacks 34-14 at Eagle Field Friday night.
The Eagles fall back into tie with the Lumberjacks with two games remaining. Westwood leads the district race with a 3-0 record following the restoration of games after the hearing with UIL this week.
Fairfield had a prolific passing attack with 17 touchdown passes in the last three games, but the Diboll defense shut down the Eagle passing game and held Fairfield to two short passing scores on the night.
The Lumberjacks took the first possession and put points on the board. Jamauri Guillan ripped off a 34-yard run into Eagle territory and four plays later, quarterback Brayden Wilson tossed a pass to Latavian Forney for the 18-yard touchdown and the early 7-0 lead.
Fairfield was held to a three and out and the Lumberjacks went back to work to open up a 14-0 lead. Michael Moseley did most of the work on the four-play drive with a 64-yard run inside the Eagle 20. He finished the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.
Fairfield answered with a first quarter touchdown. The ten-play drive covered 61 yards. Junior quarterback Kohl Collins completed two passes to Finn Smith, the second for a six-yard touchdown. Kieran King added the extra point, and the Eagles cut the lead to 14-7.
The teams traded possessions throughout the rest of the first quarter and well into the second. Midway through the quarter, the Eagles drove deep into Lumberjack territory and Jason Brackens ran inside the ten and the ball was knocked away from him and Diboll recovered.
RECOGNIZED FOR THEIR support of the Eagle football team during Friday Night Lights were Senior Athletic Trainers: Cabastion Cargill, Na’Kayla Conner, Judary Ledezma, and Jack Savage; Drum Majors: Zada Pjetrovic, Jerry Draper, and Brooke Cobb; Twirlers: Kylie Story, Morgan Roberson, Elizabeth Pillans, Abigail Gallegos, and Suzune Awalt; Color Guard: Kiera Walker, Tanlya Johnson, and Tiffany Jauregui; and Cheerleaders: Addison Bailes, Carolyn Dunlap, Rylie Longer, Reese White, and Alexis Woodruff. (Photo by Natalia V. Marsters)
Beginning at the five-yard line, Moseley ran for 57 yards. Wilson passed to Davis for 35 to the Eagle eight-yard line and threw a seven-yard touchdown pass to extend the lead to a 20-7 halftime lead.
Fairfield made three second half threats to score in the second half and Collins was picked off all three times for a total of four turnovers, a highly rare occurrence for this version of the Fairfield Eagles.
Following a scoreless third quarter, Fairfield forced a punt, and the short punt set the Eagles at the Diboll 38-yard line. On the first and only play of the drive, Collins found Smith for the touchdown and the Eagles cut into the Lumberjack lead.
Diboll answered the score quickly on a Mosely 52-yard touchdown pass and built the lead back to 27-14.
HONORED WITH THE titles of Grand Band From Eagleland’s Beau and Sweetheart for the 2024-2025 season are Drum Majors Jerry Draper and Brooke Cobb. (Photo by Natalia V. Marsters)
Fairfield tried to put themselves back in the game and drive inside the Lumberjack 20. Collins passed to Connor Colvert across the middle to the one-yard line. Collins passed into the end zone on first down, and it was picked off by Wilson. His interception was five yards deep in the end zone and returned it 105 yards for the touchdown. The lead grew to 34-14 and a second late interception by the Diboll defense settled the outcome of the contest.
(Photos by Natalia V. Marsters)
