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Preview: Fairfield at Lakota West

For the third straight week the Blitz 5 Tour heads out to see a clash between GMC rivals. The home team Lakota West Firebirds look to continue their winning ways against a Fairfield squad that appears to be the complete package.

It all comes down to Lakota West being able to stop an Indians’ offense that is averaging 32.5 points per game. Fairfield has scored 33 or more points three times in four outings. It will take a monumental effort by the Firebirds to win this affair, but if they can pull it off they will definitely be turning heads with their play half way through this 2019 campaign.

#4 FAIRFIELD INDIANS (4-0, 2-0) at #9 LAKOTA WEST FIREBIRDS (3-1, 2-0)
Kickoff: 7:00 p.m.
Firebirds Stadium
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PLAYERS TO WATCH: The reigning GMC Offensive Player of the Year, First Team All-Ohio and TriState Football Cincinnati OPOY finalists RB JuTahn McClain has picked up where he left off as a junior. The Kentucky commit has rushed for 689 yards (172.3/game) and seven touchdowns. McClain has run for 3,281 yards with 40 rushing touchdowns, while adding 43 receptions, 671 yards and seven touchdown catches in his career. Complementing McClain in the backfield is QB Sawiaha Ellis, who has 184 yards and six touchdowns on the ground. The Toledo commit has completed 76.6 percent of his passes for 558 yards and a touchdown. The Indians look to get the ball in open spaces to junior RB Jaydan Mayes now has 137 yards rushing and a touchdown on the ground, 10 receptions and 132 yards receiving. Mayes, who has an offer from Bowling Green, moved to offense after snaring three interceptions in his last four starts, a year ago. Paving the way for them up front for them is senior OL Kody Hawkins, a First Team All-GMC selection in 2018.

On defense, senior DL LJ France and junior DL Brandon Smith have made the move to the other side of the ball and are thriving. France has six sacks and Smith has 4.5 sacks. They are joined by senior Malachi Sanders, who has three sacks. Classmates LB Porter Phoenix and LB Dealo McIntosh are part of speedy linebacking core. Porter leads the team with 27 total tackles.

Lakota West is fueled by its seniors. Defensively, LB Daved Jones Jr., LB Isaac Kolosik, DL Garren Carter and DB Hunter Anderson are dependable, veteran players. Jones Jr., a Cincinnati commit, and Kolosik were first Team All-GMC selections as juniors. The duo has combined for more than 200 total tackles, 11 sacks and six takeaways in their careers. Anderson, a Second Team All-GMC honoree in 2018, has two interceptions in each of his three years as a starter in the secondary. Carter has come out of nowhere to lead the team with 26 total tackles and six sacks. Four of those sacks came last Friday against Sycamore.

On offense, senior RB David Afari is playing better than ever. The Miami (OH) commit has 465 yards and a career high eight touchdowns rushing. He has 2,213 yards rushing in a Firebirds uniform. Freshman Mitch Bolden made his first varsity start last week. He ran for 65 yards, threw for 84 yards, had a passing touchdown, but did turn the ball over three times.

TEAM TRENDS: The Fairfield defense has excelled in getting off the field in a hurry. Opponents are just 20.4 percent (10-49) on third and fourth-down conversions. The Indians have been great in getting to the quarterback. They have already recorded 15.5 sacks. Ironically, that has only led to four takeaways.

Lakota West loves to run the football. The Firebirds are averaging 237.5 yards per game on the ground. They are averaging just 61.8 yards through the air. It has been nine games since a Lakota West quarterback has thrown for more than 100 yards in a contest.

FAIRFIELD’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Get the Firebirds’ young signal-caller rattled. Use different formations and blitzes to plant the seed of uncertainty in him. The offense should be able to move the ball. Look for the Indians to push the pedal to the metal with Ellis and McClain. They know how important it is put and comfortable cushion between them and the Firebirds before intermission.

LAKOTA WEST’S KEYS TO VICTORY: Afari must have success running the football. It will keep the pressure off freshman quarterback, Bolden. The Firebirds do not want to fall behind early. Getting into a track meet on the scoreboard with Fairfield will not end well. Finding scores from either the special teams or defense would be a huge plus.

Prediction: Fairfield 31, Lakota West 23

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