Fairfield travels south for final regular season game

FORT MADISON - The Fairfield football team started out 2020 on a high note, nipping Knoxville 15-7 in its season opener. Since that warm night in August, the Trojans have lost five-straight games and head into a tough showdown this weekend at Fort Madison, where they hope to turn things around before the playoffs start.

The 1-5 Trojans will need to put everything together when they take on the 5-1 Bloodhounds in a rematch of a thriller last season. Fort Madison beat Fairfield 23-16 in double overtime in the Trojans' homecoming game last season, the first time the Bloodhounds had beaten the Trojans since the year 2000.

After a promising start to the year on defense, Fairfield has had a tough time stopping their opponents in the last two weeks. No. 5 (3A) Washington beat Fairfield 68-20, and the Trojans lost to Keokuk in last week's homecoming game, 52-22.

After struggling to score earlier in the season, the Trojans have found the end zone three times each in their last two games. Fairfield hadn't scored more than 15 points in a game until their loss to Washington.

Sophomore quarterback Isaac Harris has thrown for 526 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Fellow sophomore Max Weaton currently leads the receiving core with 18 catches for 186 yards and five touchdowns, and Payton Cline has rushed for a team-high 150 yards.

The Trojans will be facing a Bloodhound team that has put up 99 points in their last two games. The Bloodhounds blasted Burlington 55-7 on the Grayhounds' home field in Week 5, and then rolled Mt. Pleasant 44-7 at home last Friday.

The Bloodhounds have seen big things out of quarterback Landes Williams, who started the season as the backup. The junior has thrown for 325 yards and seven touchdowns, and ran for 273 yards and seven more. Senior running back Calem Maclearn has ran for 264 yards but hasn't found the end zone, and junior receiver Tate Johnson has caught 13 passes for 199 yards and five scores.

A win for the Trojans would be their first in district play, and that would surely benefit them right before the playoff pools are released over the weekend. If Fairfield can't take down the Hounds, they'll likely have a formidable opponent in their first round game.