Fairmont clinches playoff berth with victory at Springfield

Fairmont (7-3, 2-2), ranked sixth in the region entering the game, needed a victory in week 10 to advance to the postseason. Fairmont also played in the playoffs in 2017 and 2008.

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Springfield (8-2, 3-1), ranked second before the game, clinched a playoff berth with a 33-26 victory over Wayne in week nine at Evans Stadium. It's the fourth playoff berth since the birth of the new high school in 2008. The Wildcats also earned postseason berths in 2009, 2010 and 2016.

Fairmont led 14-0 at halftime. After Springfield lost a fumble on its first drive, giving Fairmont the ball at the Springfield 46-yard line, Jesse Deglow scored on a 3-yard run with 1:57 left in the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Aaron Jackson scored on a 5-yard run with 3:38 to play for Fairmont.

Springfield’s Raheim Moss scored on a 14-yard run with 10:04 left in the fourth quarter to cut Fairmont’s lead to 14-7. The Wildcats were driving for the potential tying score when they lost a fumble after converting on 4th-and-4 at the 15. Fairmont took over and ran out the clock in the final minutes.

Springfield lost 7-3 at Fairmont in the 2017 season finale. That loss knocked Springfield out of the playoffs. Fairmont leads the series 7-4 since 2008.