Preview: Fairfield at Centerville

The U.S. Marines Battle of the Gridiron Series heads north for its inaugural contest in the Dayton-area. Centerville will play host to Fairfield in an opener that will give the victors a leg up in Harbin Points and an advantage in landing one of the eight Division I, Region 4 playoff berths. Both teams are expecting big things in 2016. A win on Friday night will be an excellent brick to lay in the foundation of a great season.

Centerville Head Coach Rodney Roberts (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

Centerville heads into this affair having battle injuries throughout the preseason. Head coach Rodney Roberts feels like the Elks are close to being very good but he isn’t quite sure when the scales are going to tip in his teams favor. “We are an enigma. We still need an identity on offense,” Roberts says.

Fairfield head coach is hoping to guide his Indians to the playoffs for the third time in the last four years. A down-trodden program before Krause took over Fairfield is at the beginning of what appears to be its most prosperous run in school history. A foe like Centerville no longer intimidates the Indians.

Roberts and Krause were teammates at the University of Dayton and lived across the street from each other for two years. The chess game from the sidelines will be enjoyable to keep an eye on but it will the players on the field that determine the outcome of this affair.

FAIRFIELD INDIANS (0-0) at CENTERVILLE ELKS (0-0)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m., Centerville Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: Fairfield juniors OL Jackson Carman and DL Malik Vann are big-time. The duo has offers from most of the top college programs in the country. They will play like men against boys every Friday night. Defensive back Josiah Scott has committed to Michigan State. He has eight career interceptions. The foot of K/P Jerred McGuire gives the Indians an elite kicking game.

Fairfield DB Josiah Scott (photo by Mike Noyes/TriStateFootball.com)

The focal point of the Centerville offense will be senior QB/RB/WR Colin DeBord. The senior has verbally committed to Bowling Green. Up front OL Michael Purcell will be paving the way. Defensively, DL Sam Vance entrenches his name with Elks royalty by being elected captain as a junior. Back for their second years as starters are classmates DB Dom Ramsey, DL Dylan Haller and LB Jevon Henderson. The defense will be the heart and soul of Centerville for several years to come.

TEAM TRENDS: Over the last three years, 12 of Centerville’s 24 wins have been by seven points or less. Five of the Elks eight losses in that same span have also been decided by seven points or fewer.

Fairfield is focusing on a fourth straight winning season. The Indians are a combined 23-9 over the past three campaigns. The three years prior to that the Indians went 5-25.

FAIRFIELD’S KEYS TO VICTORY: This is a game to be won in the trenches. On defense, the Indians will need to stuff the run and put Centerville in uncomfortable passing situations. With inexperience under center for Fairfield they will rely on Carman and crew to open big holes so the ground game can get going.

CENTERVILLE’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Last seasons contest every time Centerville scored they allowed Fairfield to answer and then some in a 35-32 loss. That trend has to stop. The longer the offense stays on the field the better the Elks chances. Putting pressure on the Indians quarterbacks and forcing third and long situations then getting off the field is imperative for the Centerville defense. Causing uncertainty in the Fairfield backfield could lead to costly mistakes by the visitors.

Prediction: FAIRFIELD 28, CENTERVILLE 17

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