Fairmont’s 28-20 win over the Elks Friday night was nearly identical to their 28-23 win in 1997.
“This is a rivalry game,” Fairmont coach Dave Miller said. “It was a great gut-check win for the kids.”
And, it tested Miller’s gut as well.
The Firebirds’ coach didn’t get a chance to exhale until Garrett Danielson picked off Centerville’s Chase Harrison at the goal line with 20 seconds remaining to preserve the win.
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“They had just made a big catch to set them up again, just like they did last week,” Miller said. “And, I knew I had seen them do this before, got Garrett got that interception. He’s not the most athletic kid on the team, but he is a student of the game and he busted his butt and it was good for him and good for our team.”
And it finished off exactly what Centerville coach Brent Ullery had warned his team about during the week.
Last season, Fairmont entered their week nine game 6-2 and headed for the playoffs while Centerville was battling through a 0-8 start.
The final: Centerville 17, Fairmont 0.
“We told them all week,” Ullery said after his team fell to 4-3 and 2-1 in the Greater Western Ohio Conference American Division. “We knew they were going to come in hungry, well coached with a lot of ability and that’s a recipe for a long night.”
From the start, it didn’t look like the Elks were going to have many problems with the Firebirds.
Centerville took the opening kickoff and marched 71 yards to take a 7-0 lead on 4-yard pass from Harrison to Connor Walls.
Fairmont, which had thrown just 10 passes in six games, got on the board on a 58-yard pass from Male’k Hillon to Garrett Baker to tie the game.
“If you don’t defend those passes, you are going to give them up,” Ullery said. “With a triple option team, you know those passes are there and they are not going to be short gains, they are going to be big.”
Fairmont pushed the lead to 21-7 on a 9-yard Hillon run and a 24-yard run by Tank Gant.
“We used some different formations and sets after that first drive,” Miller said. “We knew we had to keep them off-balance.”
The Elks got a field goal just before the half and trimmed the deficit to 21-17 when Bryce McMahon bulled his way in from 6 yards out.
Hillon added the final points on a 46-yard run with 8:40 remaining, setting up the wild final two minutes.
“With our start (to the season), for our kids to come out here and persevere and do this,” Miller said. “I am so proud of them.”
Centerville held a 20-9 advantage in first downs in compiling 355 yards while holding Fairmont to 265.
Harrison finished 19 of 29 for 158 yards, but threw two picks while McMahon had 146 yards on 25 carries. Brendan Salo booted two field goals.
Hillon was a perfect 4-for-4 throwing the ball for 115 yards and also led the ground attack with 79 yards on 11 carries. Trey Baker had an interception, forced a fumble and recorded 13 tackles to lead the Firebird defense.
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