Oskaloosa Spoils Fairfield Homecoming
(33) Adam Rowley runs in for the final Indian score against Fairfield on Friday night
Fairfield, Iowa – The constant rumbling wasn’t only that of the constant stream of locomotives as they passed by the field. Fairfield was 4 wins 1 loss coming into their homecoming game Friday.
The Indians shook up the hometown crowd as Andrew Landgrebe scored on the blocked punt with 10:56 remaining in the first quarter. Tristian Cook booted it in for an Indian 7-0 lead.
For the remainder of the first half, both teams battled defensively as each sought a way to take advantage of the others weaknesses. Neither team managed a score, and they headed for the locker room with Oskaloosa’s one score the only points for both teams the first half.
But then the shaking really started as both teams emerged from the locker room energized and ready to run. Zach Vivier of the Trojans put Fairfield on the board with an 8 yard rush down the left side for the TD. Roan Bachar nailed the PAT and the game was tied at 7-7 with 10:33 on the clock in the 3rd quarter.
The Indian defense played a tough game against Fairfield
The Indians, lead by Adam Rowley, were not to be outdone. Out to prove a point, Rowley took off on a 34 yard dash to the endzone and the TD, with Cook booting another one right down the middle, to put the Indians back on top 14-7 with 6:44 on the clock.
But the emotions were high for the Trojans of Fairfield. It was after all their homecoming game. The Trojans once again turned to Zach Vivier, who dashed in from 6 yards out for the TD. Bachar’s PAT kick was good and the game was once tied up 14-14 in a classic see-saw battle.
The footrace, that was the third quarter, continued as Rowley was putting on a running clinic, speeding past Fairfield for a 38 yard run to the right for the TD. Cook, with his third PAT of the night, made the score 21-14 in favor of the Indians; a lead they wouldn’t forfeit the remainder of the night with 20 seconds left in the 3rd quarter.
The Trojans and Indians battled back and forth until the 4:00 minute mark of the 4th quarter when Fairfield’s Corbin Harwood snagged a pass from Dillon Fry for the TD. Fairfield went for the win when Spencer Peterman attempted the PAT pass, but it fell incomplete making the score 21-20 in favor of the Indians.
Kalob Gist is seen in action against the Fairfield Trojans Friday night
Rowley helped to seal the deal for the Indians after they made a quick drive of 4 plays covering 54 yards that lasted 1:36 seconds. Rowley ran left and into the endzone for the TD with Cook once again nailing the PAT for the 28-20 Indian Victory.
Coach Schilb said about his team, “Tough win, Tough win. We made too many mistakes including too many procedure calls, too many turnovers. But to our guys credit, we kept hanging in there. We made some big plays at the right time to get the win. They’re a physical football team, a lot bigger than us on paper. It shows the heart of our kids.”
Schilb says he was happy with the defense and that they helped to keep them [Oskaloosa] in the game. He went on to say that he thought the team played harder in the second half. We “got our feet underneath of us”.
Friday night was the Indians first game on grass of the season. That, along with the cooler weather, made for some slippery conditions as the dew settled upon the field. “You know, we haven’t played our best on the road; and we still made some big mistakes that tightened the game up; and we’ll just keep working on that”, Schilb said about the effort Friday night.
Oskaloosa walks away with their first road win of the season, and they are now 4-2 on the season.
