Home Notice Box Sports Fairborn muscles its way to homecoming win

Fairborn muscles its way to homecoming win

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FAIRBORN — Hunter Warner and Gage Barron were a two-man wrecking crew, Oct. 11 against visiting Vandalia Butler.

The duo combined for 316 all-purpose yards (unofficially), five touchdowns and three huge first-half defensive plays in Fairborn’s 39-0 pasting of the visiting Aviators in a Miami Valley League crossover game.

Warner had 144 yards and a pair of TDs in the first half and Barron added 19 yards and a score along with a 44-yard interception return to set up Warner’s second TD run. Warner later recovered a fumble in the final minute of the half to set up Aiden Johnson for a 27-yard field goal and a 25-0 Fairborn lead as time expired.

Game over.

Unofficially Warner finished with 188 rushing yards and three TDs, while Barron added 27 rushing yards and 62 receiving yards and two TDs. The pair seemingly were in on every tackle as well.

“The line just showed up to play today,” Warner said. “We stuck to the game plan that first half. (Defensively) just try to stop them where they are. We put it all together tonight.”

In the decisive first half, Fairborn (3-4, 2-3 MVL) flexed its muscles behind the offensive line rotation including Caleb Coolman, Isaiah Terzieff, Josh Manning, Jaden Bush, Connor Bradley, and Spencer George and used clock-chewing drives to keep Butler’s defense on the field for 24 exhausting minutes. Fairborn had 235 total yards compared to Butler’s 50 — 37 of which came on a drive that ended when Barron recovered a fumble with 5:12 left in the half.

“Have my brother’s backs, make sure I’m always doing my job on the field,” Barron said of his defensive effort.

Fairborn took the game’s opening kick and marched 78 yards for a score, the final 34 coming on a Warner run down the right side. He broke a tackle at the 10 and scampered into the end zone.

The teams traded several empty possessions before Barron recovered a fumble on the Fairborn 44 just as Butler started moving the ball and two plays later he ran in untouched from seven yards. Warner set up the score with a tough 49-yard run. Dwight Lewis ran in a 2-point conversion after a bad snap for 15-0 lead.

“I just run out there,” Barron said. “I did what was expected of me. We worked so hard in practice this week. I couldn’t do it without my team. Guys up front.”

Warner scored his second TD after the previously mentioned Barron interception to increase the lead to 22-0.

Warner added a 29-yard run midway through the third quarter for a 32-0 lead and a running clock, per Ohio High School Athletic Association rules. Not to be outdone, Barron returned a punt 42 yards for a TD after Butler was forced to punt on the ensuing possession.

“We’ve been starting really slow,” Coach Randy Kerns said. “I think the kids did a nice job emphasizing just getting physical at the beginning.”

Fairborn is at Troy Oct. 18, while Butler (2-5, 1-4) visits Stebbins.

Score by quarters

Butler 0 0 0 0 – 0

Fairborn 7 18 14 0 – 39

Scoring Plays

F- Warner 34 run (Johnson kick)

F- Barron 7 run (Lewis run)

F- Warner 10 run (Johnson kick)

F- Johnson 27 field goal

F– Warner 29 run (Johnson kick)

F- Barron 42 punt return (Johnson kick)

By Scott Halasz

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Contact Scott Halasz at 937-502-4507.