09/13/2024
BY JACK BULLOCK
SESSER - The Sesser-Valier/Waltonville Red Devils stayed unbeaten on the season with an 8-6 victory over Fairfield on Friday night at Carroll Kelly Field.

The hosts scored their lone touchdown in the first quarter, gave up a second quarter score to the Mules and then Mother Nature won the second half after a monsoon of a rain storm, from what was left of Hurricane Francine, caused an hour and a half weather delay.

While the Mules had chances in the second half and needed a score to get a win, Fairfield failed on both of their trips deep into Red Devils' territory as they lost their first game of the season to fall to 2-1 overall and in the Black Diamond Conference.

SVW improved to 3-0 in the league and have now won 14-straight league games dating back to 2022 and stayed on course to defend their conference championship while taking the measure of the Mules for the third straight time.

John Shadowens and Mike Rude, who share the wealth for this program as co-head coaches, saw their club gut out a win where they needed to come up with crucial defensive stands in the final half to get the win.

The Red Devils scored on their first drive of the game and they made that touchdown and two-point PAT hold up.

Junior running back Jace Erwin carried the ball 16-times for the SVW and produced 16-carries for 57-yards, including the lone score to lead the attack.

Senior back Caeden Hicks finished with 10-attempts for 38-yards in the “grind-it-out” battle of unbeaten clubs.

Fairfield and head coach Justin Townsend had their chances to win the game but came up short.

The Mules out-gained the host club 143 to 113 on the ground but total yards SVW held a slight advantage, 182-181.

Junior running back Logan Tullis rushed 15-times for 80-yards while senior Israel Sargent finished with 11-carries for 44-yards.

Sophomore quarterback Jaylen Maners completed 4-of-10 for 38-yards, but one of the passes was a 25-yard TD pass to junior tight end Lane Robson in the second quarter.

With the missed PAT passing attempt, the score was 8-6 at intermission.

The SVW scoring drive consisted of 14-plays for 77-yards which ate up 6:21 of play clock.

Red Devils' junior quarterback Trace Payne was 5-of-10 for 69-yards in the contest and he completed a couple of key passes in the opening drive.

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Erwin collected 31 of the yards on the scoring march, including the final 11-yards on a scamper into the endzone for the score.

He also added the PAT run for an 8-0 lead with 2:01 left in the first quarter.

Following an exchange of punts on the next two possession, the Mules put together their only scoring drive.

Fairfield marched 75-yards in six plays.

Tullis carried the ball three times for 42-yards in the drive and then Maners found Robson sprinting down the right sideline.

The ball hit the receiver in stride for a touchdown.

But a Maners' pass was incomplete on the PAT attempt which left the Mules down two.

The best scoring chance by either team the rest of the half was for Fairfield.

But a third down pass by Manners was intercepted by senior Kyler Willmore on the Red Devils' six-yard line.

Two different times the Mules were deep in the SVW side of the field in the second half but came away empty both trips.

Fairfield forced a Red Devils' fourth down and a fumbled snap on the punt attempt ended up giving the Mules a first down at the SVW 33.

But three plays, which included a false start penalty, lost 11-yards and the Mules punted the ball back to the Red Devils.

The best chance for Fairfield to get the win came when the Mules picked up three-straight first downs and made it all the way to the Red Devils' five-yard line in the fourth quarter.

With a fourth-and-goal, Maners' throw towards the endzone was deflected for an incomplete pass and a turnover on downs.

Fairfield's final drive ended on an interception thrown by reserve Jude Carter and picked off by sophomore defensive back Brian Mann with 2:00 left on the clock.

The Red Devils put the game away with a first down after a key third down run by senior Dawson Nutt.

A kneel down in victory formation by Payne gave SVW the victory.

Fairfield will host 3-0 Johnston City and SVW will host Carmi-White County, also 3-0 next Friday night.