The Fairfield Eagles led 22-21 at the half and Yoakum added two third quarter touchdowns to hand the Eagles their first loss of the season and eliminate them from the playoffs in the area round 36-29 at Belton’s Tiger Stadium.
The contest was a rematch from last season when the Eagles were eliminated in dominating fashion at Temple High School. The 2025 version was a much different look in closely played game throughout the night.
Yoakum moves on to play the Hardin Hornets, the lone remaining unbeaten team in Region III of the Division I playoffs. Franklin and Columbus will do battle in the other regional semifinal.
The Bulldogs scored with less than a minute lapsed in the opening quarter. On the second play from scrimmage, Germarquis Robinson took the handoff and raced up the home sideline for a 77-yard touchdown with 11:05 remaining. The extra point was good, and the Bulldogs held an early 7-0 lead.
Coach Timothy Judkins gives senior Mason Edwards a hug after Fairfield fell to Yoakum 36-29 in the Area Championship on Friday night at Belton High School.
Fairfield bobbled the ensuing kickoff and were pinned back at their own nine. They were forced into a three and out and a short punt put Yoakum in Fairfield Territory. The Bulldogs had to punt on their three and out and the Eagles began in even deeper field position at their three-yard line.
The Eagles picked up their first first down of the game on a Kyden Rodriguez run but could not reach the twenty and punted. The Bulldogs took possession at midfield and all state athlete X’Zavier Barnett lined up at quarterback and his keeper broke open and it was a footrace to the goal line for a 51-yard touchdown, and the Bulldogs led 14-0.
The Eagles would bounce back quickly with the third explosive play of the quarter. On the first play of the possession, senior quarterback Kohl Collins threw deep to Tylan Davis. He out jumped the defender and broke a tackle downfield and completed a 75-yard catch and run.
Kieran King added the extra point, and the Eagles cut the Yoakum lead in half at 14-7 nearing the end of the first quarter.
The next Bulldog drive began in Fairfield territory off of a great kickoff return by Robinson and they reached the Fairfield 26 before an incomplete pass turned the ball over on downs.
The game advanced into the second quarter with the Eagles driving downfield. Collins connected with Hicks for an 18-yard gain, converting a third and long. They would find each other again two plays later, this one on a short pass that Hick turned around on and broke two late tackles for the 37-yard score. King’s extra point tied the game at 14-14 early in the second.
Yoakum needed only one long drive to retake the lead. They moved 52 yards in nine plays and took over five minutes off the clock. Early in the drive they faced a fourth and six. A timeout showed a direct snap to Barnett and when play resumed, it was a snap to Barnett on the fake punt, and he was hit short of the first down, but the momentum and his driving feet pushed the pile for 20 yards and a Bulldog first down.
Barnett converted a second fourth down later in the drive and he scored the touchdown on a two-yard run and regained the lead 21-14.
Fairfield had some time left in the half and picked up a first down on a perfect pass to Finn Smith from Collins and another first down inside the Bulldog 20. A pass to Hicks was knocked out of his hands and the Bulldogs recovered but quickly had to punt.
The Eagles took advantage of the short punt with under two minutes remaining in the half. Collins scrambled for 11 yards and a first down on fourth down and passed across the middle to Hicks and Davis to inside the Bulldog ten-yard line. On third and one at the six, Collins passed to Connor Colvert to the near corner for the touchdown and the Eagles were within one point. On the point after, holder Landon Washington stood up and passed to Kaden McCrory for the conversion and the Eagles had their first lead of the game at 22-21 with only seconds remaining in the half.
The final gasp of the half was almost a miracle when a pass was completed to Cayson Gamez, and he broke a tackle, but Collins came from the safety position to knock him down at the Fairfield two-yard line. The 52-yard play started with ten seconds on the clock and the time expired when Collins made the tackle, preserving the 22-21 Eagle lead.
The Eagles took the second half kickoff and put their offense in motion. Davis hauled in a 47-yard pass into Bulldog territory and Smith caught a short pass at the first down marker to move the chains. Colvert ran his route to the far corner on this play to catch a 13-yard touchdown, his second of the game and the fourth by Collins. King added the point after, and the Eagles led 29-22.
Yoakum continued their ball control offense and moved downfield in position to score. A pair of 21-yard runs moved the Bulldogs down the field. On a third and short, Barnett ran for three yards and his third touchdown of the game. He also ran in the conversion and tied the score at 29-29.
Fairfield had a drive to finish the third quarter, and it stalled and Collins stepped back to punt. He launched a beautiful punt that sailed over Barnett’s head and was downed at the Bulldog three. On the first play of the possession, the handoff to Robinson turned gold. He broke through the Eagle defense and outran the pack for the 97-yard touchdown, his third of the night. The point after put the Bulldogs up to stay at 36-29.
The Eagle drive was forced to punt, and the Bulldogs took over at their twenty. Their 13-play drive ended on downs and Fairfield took over. The key play for the Eagle defense was a snap over the quarterback’s head that resulted in a 12-yard loss.
The final scoring opportunity for the Eagles began at their 25 and Davis caught a 22-yard pass to midfield. Four incompletions would turn the ball back to the Bulldogs and they ran out the final minutes of the game, staying in bounds on runs to keep the clock running and forcing the Eagles to call their timeouts.
Robinson finished the night with 299 yards and three touchdowns, and the Eagle receiver Tylan Davis caught six passes for 169 yards and a touchdown.
The Fairfield Eagles playing their final game include Jason Brackens, Finn Smith, Madden McElroy, Khamarion Ingram-Reed, Kavion Hicks, Armando Charles, Darion Weatherall, Connor Colvert, Landon Washington, Kohl Collins, Tate Lewis, Zechariah Smith, Kalil Appel, Owynn Jordal, Ashton Higgs, Ricky Castenada, Mason Copeland, Mason Edwards, Ayden Jones, Brayden Thornburg, and John Macke.
(Courtesy Photos)
