Fairfield News

GRINNELL ? Being out-executed by a good football team usually doesn?t bode well for a team with its season on the line.Wednesday, Grinnell completely shut down a previously red-hot Trojan running game and did more than OK on the ground themselves to bounce Fairfield from the Class 3A postseason with a 27-7 victory.?We just got out executed tonight, but I really can?t fault our kids ? they played hard and we had an

KNOXVILLE ? The going got tough in a crowded field Monday at Knoxville, but once again, Fairfield?s Jessica Lamb got going.While the Fairfield girls? cross country team fell short of its goal of qualifying as a team to Saturday?s state meet, that?s exactly where Lamb will be headed. With her sixth-place finish (16:58), the freshman is the first individual qualifier to the state meet for FHS since Betsy Neff in 1995

?It wasn?t pretty, but an ugly win is much better than a loss,? said Fairfield head coach Nancy Diers.Coming off their two most convincing wins of the season last week ? including a three-game sweep of Keokuk ? the Trojans posted another win in Monday?s Region 8 opener against that same Keokuk squad. Even though the Trojans had to scrap their way to a 25-23, 25-23, 15-25, 25-17 victory, Diers? comments may reflect

COLUMBUS ? Monday afternoon was go-time and the Pekin girls cross country team knew what to do.In the Class 2A Regional cross country meet at Columbus Junction, the second-ranked Panthers took the first giant step toward posting a second straight state title. Just as they have for most of the season, Pekin finished on top of the team standings, but more importantly, qualify for Saturday?s state meet at Lakeside

WAPELLO ? A season ago, Van Buren?s Ben Moews missed the state cross country meet by one place.At Wapello Monday, the senior left plenty of room to spare and will be headed to the meet he missed out on last year. Moews turned in a time of 17:31, which placed him eighth.?Ben ran a smart race. He really settled in and finished strong,? said head coach John Simmons. ?It was a tough district to qualify in, but he

The Fairfield defense reached a new level of nastiness and Mount Pleasant endured the full brunt of it.In a must-win game for the Panthers, the hard-hitting Trojan defense accounted for two of Fairfield?s three scores to slam the door on Mount Pleasant?s postseason hopes. A win would have given last year?s district champ a second-place finish, but Friday?s 20-0 loss at Trojan Stadium leaves Mount Pleasant (5-4, 4-3)

Fairfield put the final polish on a dominant conference season and even more dominant conference career for six seniors to wrap up the regular season Friday night.The Trojans never faltered in a workman-like 25-15, 25-12, 25-15 victory over Fort Madison that keeps them undefeated in Southeast Conference play for the fourth straight season and tacks one more onto the school-record SEC winning streak that now stands

BURLINGTON ? In a double dual to conclude the regular season Thursday in Burlington, the Fairfield swim team posted a victory against the host Grayhounds 66-36 but lost to Keokuk 57-44.?The girls stepped up and several swam some events they have never swam before or would rather not swim,? said Fairfield head coach Susie Steinbeck. ?For example, Emily Mueller swam a 500 and Hanna Kerr swam a 200 ? all for the

WAYLAND ? The WACO football team claimed the District 5 title with a 48-0 victory over Cardinal Friday night.The Warriors held Cardinal to just 42 yards of total offense on 43 plays, after not allowing positive total yards in the first half of the game.?I don?t know if they had positive yards in the first half for total offense,? said WACO Head Coach Chad Edeker. ?We played really well, but they were a little

PACKWOOD ? Needing a win in the worst way, Pekin did just that Friday and didn?t leave a sliver of doubt.Friday?s 51-0 win over Iowa Valley snapped a three-game losing streak and kept slim postseason hopes alive for the Panthers heading into the final week of the regular season. Pekin now needs a win at home vs. Durant and some help from Eddyville-Blakesburg beating Belle Plaine to hang on those playoff wishes.?It?s

CENTERVILLE ? In the final Saturday tournament of the season, Fairfield ripped through small school competition in pool play ? Moravia, Davis Country and Seymour ? before falling to Centerville at its home tournament.The Centerville result is Fairfield?s second loss this season to the team the Trojans are likely to meet in the second round of regional play. However, that do-or-die match scheduled for Oct. 29 ?

OK, let?s clear up this playoff picture (a.k.a. let me try to use enough numbers for you to just not care anymore). Also, I?m going to have to ask you to assume my calculations are correct.In Class 1A District 5, Belle Plaine, Pekin and Wapello are all fighting for the final two playoff spots now that West Branch and Eddyville-Blakesburg have each clinched one. In short, two-way ties in the standings are resolved