Mules Take Care Of Business To Earn Playoff Spot; At Greenville

Needing a win to make the playoffs, the Fairfield Mules simply needed to take care of business in a rare Thursday Night Lights game, hosting the two-win Edwards County Lions.

Queue the Bachman-Turnover Overdrive, because Justin Townsend’s Mules did just that, rolling to a 52-7 win to finish the regular season with a 5-4 record to put themselves in playoff contentions. On Saturday night, they found out their fate, a Saturday afternoon road trip to face the 9-0 Greenville Comets.

“We are battle tested and playoff eligible,” Townsend said after the win. “We have had a lot of adversity this year and had to battle through some things. We have been really close, but I think we are starting to peak at the right time.”

The Mules scored on their first five offensive possessions and seven of their eight overall, punting just once in the game as they racked up 447 yards of offense. The Lions were able to move the ball, picking up 14 first downs, but the Fairfield defense allowed them in the end zone just once on the night.

Fairfield’s total yardage was a season high, and came with a balanced attack as they ran for 247 yards and threw for another 200. Trey Mason had nearly 200 yards of total offense by himself, combining 133 rushing yards with 66 receiving, while senior classmate Jay Snyder scored three times.

Freshman Makes Waves

Freshman quarterback Jaylen Maners’ 200 yards passing put him over 1,000 for the year and moved him into fifth all-time at FCHS for single season passing yards with 1,174. He tied the school record with four touchdown passes in the game, giving him 16 on the year, which it tied for third all-time in school history for a single season. He was 10-of-12 throwing the ball in the game.

“That offense has been able to do some different things and take what the defense gives us. Tonight, we were able to throw the ball,” Townsend noted.

Fairfield got rolling early Thursday with a seven-play drive, all on the ground, capped off by Snyder’s first touchdown from one yard out. Mason had a 51-yard scamper on the drive.

The Mules needed just three plays for their next score, which came on a 44-yard throw from Maners to  Mason for a 44-yard touchdown. That gave Mason more than 100 yards of total offense five minutes into the game.

Down 14-0, Russ Gerlach’s Lions mounted a long drive that ultimately came up empty, with a 15-play drive failing on the Mules’ nine-yard line early in the second quarter. Reily Titzer was able to knock away the fourth-down pass attempt by Edwards County quarterback Jax Duncan.

With their backs to their own end zone, Fairfield responded with chunk plays, getting four plays of double-digit yardage in a five-play drive. Mason had a 28-yard run and an 18-yard catch on the drive before Snyder hauled in a 32-yard touchdown pass for a 22-0 lead.

Titzer had another pass deflection to force a Lion punt on their next drive to give the Mules the ball back. Maners completed three more passes on that drive, including a 15-yard scoring strike to Alek Couch on a backside post route by the tight end.

Edwards County again moved the ball late in the first half, driving to the Mules’ 36 before Mason picked off Duncan in the endzone on a heave at the buzzer. The Mules led 28-0 at halftime.

Lions Score

The Lions’ score came on their opening possession of the second half, on a 16-play drive that saw them convert two third downs and a fourth down. Duncan got the score, calling his own number for a nine-yard run one play after offsetting penalties negated a Mule sack. Fullback Max Gerlach converted both of the third downs on the drive, while a pass interference led to the fourth down conversion.

Fairfield answered with a 10-play scoring drive that included three more Maners completions, the third of which was a 16-yard touchdown to Landon Harrelson for a 36-7 score.

The two squads traded punts to move to the fourth quarter, where the Mules got on the board again following a Lions’ turnover. Bronson Rilea sacked Duncan and Trenton Mason came up with the loose ball on the fumble. Fairfield scored three plays later with Snyder getting a second one-yard scoring run in the game.

Fairfield’s final score of the game came from the subs on their final drive. Logan Tullis ran the ball seven straight times for 54 yards before Keegan Downen got the touchdown from four yards out.

Gerlach led the Lions in rushing with 41 yards on 11 carries, while Justin Davis led them in receiving with 45 yards. Gerlach led the defense with seven solo tackles and two assists.

Rilea had another disruptive game for the Mules’ defense, with six solo tackles, including three tackles for loss, two of which were sacks. Cale Milner led Fairfield in tackles with seven solos and an assist.

The Lions finish their season with a 2-7 record. The Mules’ playoff game at Greenville Saturday will kickoff at 2 p.m. The Mules are one of four BDC schools to make the playoffs, along with Sesser-Valier, Johnston City and Carmi. The Hamilton County Foxes were knocked out of contention Friday with a 30-24 overtime loss to West Frankfort. That dropped the BDC to 1-5 in nonconference game this year.

Week 9 BDC Scores

Eldorado 44, CZR 24

Sesser-Valier 46, Flora 6

Johnston City 36, Carmi 6

West Frankfort 30, Hamilton Co. 24 OT

BDC Records

Sesser-Valier      9-0

Johnston City     8-1

Carmi                  7-2

Fairfield              5-4

Hamilton Co       4-5

Flora                   3-6

Eldorado            2-7

Edwards Co        2-7

CZR                     0-9

BDC Playoff Games

Fairfield at Greenville

Sesser-Valier vs. Carrolton

Johnston City vs. Auburn

Carmi vs. Breese Mater Dei