FAIRFIELD, Ohio – When Fairfield and Mason met back in Week 7, it was a defensive struggle that ended with the Indians eking out a 14-13 win. Four weeks later, with playoff stakes on the line and the lights brighter than ever, the two GMC rivals delivered one of the most explosive games of the postseason — a shootout that saw Fairfield prevail again, this time 46-41, in a Division I, Region 4 thriller.
Fairfield wasted no time setting the tone. On the second play from scrimmage, Gabe Ross burst through the middle for an 80-yard touchdown run, and moments later, after a Mason fumble, AJ Brown powered in from two yards out to make it 13-0 less than four minutes into the game.
The fireworks continued from there. Mason answered with a short touchdown run, but Fairfield responded immediately as Brown sprinted 80 yards for his second score of the night. After Mason cut the deficit again with a long touchdown run, Ross broke loose for another big play — a 76-yard touchdown — to close a wild first quarter with Fairfield on top 26-14.
A few weeks ago, Mason and Fairfield ended in a one-point overtime classic.
On Friday, it was another one score game with the Indians punching their ticket to the second round.@WLWT | @fcsdathletics @Gabe_17left @rodenjustin pic.twitter.com/XUMGIJ6qdO
— Jaron May (@jaron_may) November 1, 2025
The second quarter brought more of the same. Mason struck through the air on a 76-yard touchdown pass to pull within five, but Ross answered once more with his third rushing touchdown of the half, a 33-21 Fairfield lead at intermission.
Mason continued to battle, scoring on an 8-yard run to narrow the gap, yet the Indians had an answer each time. Facing a 4th-and-1, Ross powered in for his fourth touchdown of the night from 17 yards out with under three minutes to play. The Comets countered with a late touchdown but failed on a two-point try, and Brown sealed it with a 55-yard scoring run to push Fairfield ahead 46-34. Mason would add a final touchdown in the waning seconds, but it was too little, too late.
Ross finished with four rushing touchdowns, while Brown added three, as Fairfield’s ground game proved unstoppable.
With the win, the Indians (6-5) advance to the regional quarterfinals, where they’ll travel to The Pit next week for a marquee matchup with top-seeded Elder.
SCORING BY QUARTERS
Mason: 14-7-7-13-41
Fairfield: 20-13-0-13-46
RECORDS: Mason (5-6, 5-5 GMC); Fairfield (6-5, 5-5)
UP NEXT: OHSAA Playoffs: Fairfield at Elder
Get the complete scores from all of this week’s action on the Underground Sports Shop Scoreboard at TriStateFootball.com/scores.
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