Grippa will be on the opposing sideline when fifth-seeded Fairfield (7-3) travels to play fourth-seeded Milford (8-2) in a Division I, Region 4 quarterfinal Friday. The Indians have lost their last six postseason games.
WEEK 11 FOOTBALL COVERAGE
» A decade ago: Looking back at New Miami’s first playoff season
» Badin, Butler similar teams on a collision course
» Fenwick has more options for playoffs as Davis returns
» Stakes higher for Edgewood, Little Miami in rematch
» East puts perfect first-round playoff record up against Mason
« Senior Starks savoring every healthy moment for Badin
» Hamilton forces Murphy out after six seasons, 14-46 record
“It’s hard to believe that was the last (playoff win) for Fairfield,” Grippa said. “Those six years I spent at Fairfield (1997-2002) were great. I have fond memories of my time there, and I still communicate with some of the kids. We did really well — my third year we won the (Greater Miami Conference) and made the playoffs and that 2000 season we were second (in the GMC), went into the playoffs as the eighth seed and upset Moeller. That’s a good program. They are going to be tough to beat. But so are we.”
Grippa said Fairfield will be the toughest opponent his Eagles have faced, but he believes it will be a matchup of two great offenses.
Fairfield boasts the GMC’s most explosive offense, averaging a conference-best 408 yards per game and ranking second in scoring with 36.1 points per game. Milford leads the Eastern Cincinnati Conference in scoring with 38.6 points per game and averages 372.1 total yards per game.
“Someone asked me because our defense has given up a lot of rushing yards, ‘How are you going to stop them?’ ” Grippa said. “My answer to that is, we’re not. Not even Colerain could stop them. I’m sure JuTahn McClain will have some long rushes, and they can throw too. But we have to contain the best we can or we just have to win a shootout because we can score. We have a good offense too. “
Milford is a balanced offense as well. Quarterback Hunter Johnson has thrown for 2,077 yards and 21 touchdowns with what Grippa said is one of the best receiving corps in Greater Cincinnati, and running back Cameron Kells leads the ECC with 1,471 yards rushing and 26 touchdowns.
Indians quarterback Jeff Tyus leads a run-heavy GMC with 1,238 yards passing, and McClain is the conference’s top rusher with 1,676 yards and 25 touchdowns on 212 carries. However, with Milford ranking seventh of eight ECC teams in run defense (allowing 202 rushing yards per game), McClain should be the biggest factor for Fairfield on Friday.
“McClain is very good, but Kells is too,” Grippa said. “It should be a pretty good show. We just can’t have turnovers. We have to play good, clean football. Of course, you can play good football and still get beat because that’s a good team we’re facing, but we have to do our best to contain them and keep the score reasonable.”
Fairfield comes prepared by a tough GMC schedule, but hobbles in on two straight losses to Colerain and Mason.
Against the Cardinals, the Indians came back to within a touchdown in the third quarter but lost 55-27, and Mason beat them in overtime, thanks to a 42-yard field goal to send the game into an extra period.
“Obviously we don’t like going in like this, but we’re happy to be in,” Fairfield coach Jason Krause said last week.
The Indians are making their fourth straight trip to the playoffs, but lost to St. Xavier in each of the past two seasons and fell to Elder in 2015.
If Fairfield wins Friday, a rematch with Colerain likely looms — something Cardinals coach Tom Bolden said two weeks ago he expected could very well happen.
“If we get another chance at them (Colerain), it probably means we’ve gotten through the first round, so I’d take that,” Krause joked after that game when asked about Bolden’s comment. “But we’ve got to do our part and get there first.”
Friday’s game
What: Division I, Region 4 football quarterfinal, No. 5 seed Fairfield (7-3) at No. 4 seed Milford (8-2), 7 p.m.
Where: Eagle Stadium, 1 Eagles Way, Milford
Series: Fairfield leads 16-4 and has won the last three meetings, including 37-0 in 2005
Next: Winner will play either Colerain or St. Xavier at 7 p.m. on Nov. 9 at a neutral site
About the Author