10/05/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
FAIRFIELD - Saturday afternoon the Fairfield Mules celebrated their homecoming with a commanding 20-6 victory over Flora to even their mark at 3-3.

More importantly Coach Justin Townsend's club took a step towards securing its 11th consecutive IHSA playoff berth.

Having lost games to Johnston City, Sesser-Valier/Waltonville and Carmi-White County, the Mules need a victory to keep postseason in the picture.

Using a running attack the produced 335-yards and a defensive effort that kept the Wolves from the endzone until the final minutes, Fairfield now sits just two wins away from the 22nd appearance in the program's history.

Senior tailback Izzy Sargent led the way with 155-yards on 25-attempts, helping Fairfield to a huge advantage in time of possession.

Junior running back Keegan Downen rushed for 72-yards and a touchdown, while also picking up a huge 40-yard run late in the fourth quarter to help secure the win.

Downen added a three-yard TD run four plays later for the final Fairfield score with just 2:39 left in the contest.

Cale Milner, a senior back who ended up with 29-yards on the ground, scored the Mules first TD on a one-yard plunge and then added a second score from four-yards out for a 14-0 halftime advantage.

Sophomore Michael Barner added a two-point conversion run after the second Milner touchdown and junior quarterback Jude Carter 20-yards on the ground and on 2-of-3 passing for 29-yards.

Flora didn't get anything going on offense until the second half as they picked up just one first down in the first two quarters as they fell to 3-3 on the season.

Coach Brian Tackitt saw his club get stopped often, especially in the first half, as the Wolves produced just 42-yards on 19-rushes.

Junior quarterback Parker Helm threw for 108-yards completing 16-of-31 attempts and the lone Flora score on a nine-yard pass to sophomore running back Kormik Massie with just 1:24 left in the game.

Flora had one drive in the first half the got the Wolves into scoring range but the drive stalled at the Fairfield 10 after three consecutive incomplete passes turned the ball over to the Mules with :18.7 left before halftime.

Sargent rushed for 34-yards in four-attempts during a 47-yard scoring drive for their first points in the second quarter with Milner finishing the drive with his first TD with 8:49 left in the half.

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Milner's second TD also came on a long march, 58-yards, where the senior carried the final three runs to paydirt, scoring with 1:47 remaining.

The Barner two-point PAT run sent the teams to the half at 14-0 Fairfield.

The final TD for the Mules came on a drive that started at the Fairfield two-yard line after an interception by Carter.

The 98-yard march took 11-plays with the key run by Downen, who broke free up the middle for 40-yards to get the ball to the Flora 14.

Downen went the final four-yards for the score and a 20-0 with just 2:39 left.

“I told the kids when your number is called be ready,” said Coach Townsend as several players contributed in the victory. “Keegan (Downen) didn't start today but when his number was called he was ready.”

Flora senior receiver Garrett Partridge caught eight of the Helm throws for 68-yards.

The time of possession favored the hosts, was they had the ball over 30 minutes of the 48-minute contest.

Defensively the Mules were led in tackles by junior Lane Robson with six solo tackles, with four of them coming for lost yardage and two quarterback sacks while Miller Simpson, a senior safety, added four tackles and two quarterback sacks on Helm.

“I'm really proud of our defense. Honestly our defense has played well in our last three losses but we stressed all week that we needed to improve our turnover margin,” said Coach Townsend who pointed out that his team was 0-for-6 (turnovers) coming into the Flora game. “We stressed that all week and we felt like we would have opportunities today and our guys took advantage (two turnovers) today.”

Flora got eight solo tackles each from senior Jadon Leib and Massie.

The Mules can secure a playoff spot with two wins in its final three games against winless Christopher/Zeigler-Royalton on the road, at home against 2-4 Hamilton County and at 1-5 Edwards County.

Flora will have work to do in its final three games as the also need two wins to reach the playoff five-win threshold.

The Wolves will host Hamilton County and Sesser-Valier/Waltonvile while getting a forfeit from Vienna/Goreville in Week Eight.

“We felt like if we could make them one-dimensional that (take away the run) that we could do some things coverage-wise,” said Coach Townsend. “We executed our game-plan to a tee. We wanted to control the clock and run the ball. We put them in situations where they had to take some chances. I'm proud of these guys. We've been battling the last three weeks and to finally reward ourselves with a win feels really good.”