PHOTOS: Nick Graham’s gallery from the game
“Everybody was sleeping on us, but we’re back,” said Fairfield senior outside linebacker Drew Bartolovich, who had an interception and a fumble recovery. “We’re good to go. We’re not scared of anybody. We’re ready to win the GMC.
“We knew it was going to be a tough game in the trenches. We were expecting to shut them down, and we did that. Our offense came out with all cylinders tonight. They played awesome. We haven’t seen that all year, but I think (quarterback) Jeff Tyus has the confidence now.”
The Indians rumbled to 27 points in the opening eight minutes and totaled 403 yards of offense against the Thunderhawks (3-1, 1-1), who committed five turnovers.
Jutahn McClain and Tyus both ran for two touchdowns for Fairfield, and Tyus connected with Sawiaha Ellis and Erick All for scores. Raqwon Williams sprinted to a 91-yard TD on a kickoff return.
“I do feel like we’ve pushed that 0-2 start aside because we’ve really focused on the new season in the GMC,” Indians coach Jason Krause said. “I feel like we’ve been getting better each week. We’ve kind of woken up a litlte bit. Those inexperienced kids are starting to get experienced, and I can just kind of feel our confidence growing a little bit.”
McClain ran 18 times for 186 yards. His second TD, a 53-yard burst, made it 27-0 with 4:17 left in the first quarter.
“We’ve been talking about how we haven’t been starting fast offensively, so that was very good for us,” Krause said.
East fumbled the ball away twice in the opening three minutes and was never in the game. Included in the Indians’ early scoring spree was a one-handed, 33-yard touchdown grab by Ellis.
“I think our kids played hard. We just didn’t play very well,” Thunderhawks coach Rick Haynes said. “A lot of that has to do with how well Fairfield played. You could watch them on film and see they’re really talented. They just hadn’t played real well in the first three games.”
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Fairfield’s run defense was solid, with tackle Malik Vann notching 3.5 tackles for loss. Vann and teammate Jacob Gooslin recovered fumbles.
Jeff Garcia had 11 carries for 88 yards and Jack Dobrozsi added 66 yards and a touchdown on 10 runs for East, while Dylan Fry was 9 of 20 for 89 yards and a TD to Evan Yablonsky.
Dobrozsi, a junior fullback, entered the game as the GMC’s top rusher with 516 yards and 10 touchdowns.
“I think our coaches do a great job scheming for the triple (option),” Krause said. “And I think we’ve been pretty good in the box all year.”
“The Vann kid is special,” Haynes said. “He reminded me of when my son was a junior. He played at East and they played Hamilton and they had Denicos Allen, and he just played at a different speed than everybody else. I thought that kid played at a different speed tonight than everybody else.”
Williams had an interception on defense for Fairfield and responded to the Yablonsky touchdown in eat-my-dust fashion with his kickoff-return TD late in the third quarter.
“I didn’t get touched I don’t think,” said Williams, a speedy junior. “I just ran down the seam and hit the hole. Playmakers have got to make plays. The team blocked it very well, and I just tried to make a play.”
And the feeling that comes with breaking away for a long touchdown like that?
“It feels pretty good,” Williams said. “The crowd was excited … the best student section in my opinion in the world. It was just a great atmosphere, a great experience.”
McClain is a receiver who has taken off as a running back in place of Taimar Boykin, who was held out Friday because Krause didn’t believe he was 100 percent.
“It’s not fair to have him run on a leg that’s not healed all the way,” Krause said. “Jutahn does a lot of good things. It’s hard to believe he’s a sophomore. He’s a special talent.”
Tyus completed 13 of 18 passes for 126 yards and added 44 yards on nine carries.
“He made a lot of plays tonight,” Krause said. “He did the things that I know he can do. He really understood our game plan tonight.”
Both teams return to action next Friday. The Indians travel to Princeton, while East hosts Oak Hills.
Lakota East 0-0-7-7—14
Fairfield 27-0-7-14—48
F: Jutahn McClain 12 run (Nick Maddy kick)
F: Sawiaha Ellis 33 pass from Jeff Tyus (Maddy kick)
F: Erick All 10 pass from Tyus (Maddy kick)
F: McClain 53 run (Kick failed)
L: Evan Yablonsky 12 pass from Dylan Fry (Tommy Capano kick)
F: Raqwon Williams 91 kickoff return (Maddy kick)
L: Jack Dobrozsi 37 run (Capano kick)
F: Tyus 10 run (Maddy kick)
F: Tyus 10 run (Maddy kick)
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