Fairfield football season ends at Grinnell

GRINNELL — A very successful season ended for the Fairfield football team Friday when the Trojans fell to Grinnell, 42-14.

The win puts Grinnell into the Class 3A playoffs as the second-place team in District 5, playing at West Delaware (8-1). The winner will play the winner of Davenport Assumption (6-3) at Solon (9-0). Grinnell was one of the final eight teams in 2020 and last made the playoffs in consecutive seasons in 2012-13.

The Trojans threw an interception on the first play of the game and were down 7-0 before a minute had elapsed. Alex Smith trumped his interception with a touchdown and added a second for a 21-0 Tigers lead with 31 seconds remaining in the first quarter. It was 35-0 at the half and scoreless in the third quarter.

Fairfield dented the scoreboard when Teddy Metcalf scored to start the fourth quarter. He had 19 rushes for 59 yards. Hunter Cecchini scored a 27-yard touchdown and finished with 94 yards rushing on 12 carries.

Max Weaton had four catches for 60 Trojan yards. Craig Miller had two receptions for 38 yards and Cecchini one. Tate Allen went 7-of-14 for 101 yards with three interceptions.

Cecchini led the Trojans’ defense with 5.0 tackles. Grinnell had 311 yards of offense (200 passing, 111 rushing) and 13 first downs, Fairfield had 14 and 241.

Year 2021 saw Fairfield record a 5-4 overall ledger and go 2-3 in the district. The last winning season was 2016, also a 5-4 record.