Football Preview: Fairfield Mules vs. Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton Bearcats
Fairfield has gone 10-0 against Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton recently and they'll look to pad the win column further on Friday. The Fairfield Mules will head out to take on the Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton Bearcats at 7:00 p.m. Fairfield will be strutting in after a win while Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton will be coming in after a defeat.
Fairfield took a loss when they played away from home last Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Saturday. They strolled past Flora with points to spare, taking the game 20-6. That looming 20-6 mark stands out as the most commanding margin for the Mules yet this season.
Fairfield's victory was a true team effort, with many players turning in solid performances. Perhaps the best among them was Keegan Downen, who rushed for 72 yards and a touchdown on only eight carries. Those 72 rushing yards gave Downen a new career-high. Cale Milner was in the mix too, providing Fairfield with two touchdowns.
Fairfield was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 304 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 249 rushing yards in three consecutive matchups.
On the defensive side of the ball, a lot of the credit has to go to Fairfield's defense and their five sacks. The heavy lifting was done by Miller Simpson and Lane Robson, who racked up four sacks between them.
Meanwhile, Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton was not able to break out of their rough patch on Friday as the team picked up their 15th straight loss dating back to last season. They were outmatched by Carmi-White County on the road and fell 72-27. One positive for the Bearcats, at least, is that this was the most points they've scored all season.
Even though the team lost, they still had their share of impressive performances. One of the best came from Gauge Schlake, who picked up 105 receiving yards and two touchdowns. He was no stranger to the big play, cutting upfield on a catch that went for 65 yards. Landen Butler also helped out as he racked up 111 receiving yards.
The win got Fairfield back to even at 3-3. As for Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton, their defeat dropped their record down to 0-6.
Friday's contest might be decided in the trenches. Fairfield has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 272.6 rushing yards per game. It's a different story for Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton, though, as they've been averaging only 92.2. How will they fare against such a dominant running game?
Everything came up roses for Fairfield against Christopher-Zeigler-Royalton when the teams last played back in October of 2023, as the team secured a 58-14 victory. The rematch might be a little tougher for Fairfield since the squad won't have the home-field advantage this time around. We'll see if the change in venue makes a difference.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
