WINNSBORO – Fairfield Central fell 42-18 in an exciting opening night battle against strong 5A opponent Ridge View on Friday.
The Griffins (0-1) came out of the gate fast on an exciting two-play sequence from senior running back TyDarion Greer during the first drive of the season. Taking the kickoff from the 20-yard line, the senior veered left, speeding away from two Blazers’ defenders. Streaking down the sideline, he was finally caught at the Ridge View 30-yard line.
Following the 60-yard kick return that got fans on their feet, it was Greer who shined again, as the physical senior punched an outside run to the right for a 30-yard score. After a missed extra point from Erik Martinez, Fairfield led 6-0 with 11:41 remaining in the first quarter.
Greer and the Griffins had fans at EK McLendon Stadium excited for the long-awaited season, and the battle cry of the home crowd would only grow louder after a wild, 17-play drive that would leave the Blazers empty handed.
Ridge View junior wide receiver Jordon Gidron, a consensus four-star recruit who has over 30 scholarship offers from top universities, took a direct snap at quarterback, bursting up the middle to advance the Blazers to the nine-yard line, setting up a first and goal opportunity for Ridge View with 6:52.
But the Blazers couldn’t cash in. After an incompletion intended to Gidron from quarterback Tre Howard, Ridge View was called for holding, and the Blazers were backed up to the 19-yard line. On third down, Fairfield came up with a crucial stop on another pass intended for Gidron, this time on a screen route. The physical tackle invigorated Griffins’ fans. The Blazers rolled the dice for a fourth down attempt from the 20.
Fairfield fans rose from their seats during the early defining moment in the game. In a miraculous attempt, Howard found a leaping Gidron in the end zone for a score. An ineligible player downfield penalty backed up the Blazers, but that didn’t deter them from trying again.
A defensive pass interference call on the next snap pushed the Blazers up to the 12-yard line, but Howard’s attempt to the left corner of the end zone failed. The big stop would set up Fairfield with a major opportunity: the chance to go up two scores on the opponent who could figure into the championship race in the state’s top division.
But a holding call on the Griffins with 5:23 would drive them deep into their own territory. Fairfield started at their six-yard line, and after three straight rushing attempts by Greer, the Griffins were forced to punt.
The second Blazers’ drive also started with promise for Fairfield, as senior linebacker Chancery Turner provided a strong presence with a physical tackle on a run up the middle on the first play. But with 2:43, speedy Ridge View sophomore Darius Carter, who was hard to stop for the Griffins all night, made a 38-yard catch in double coverage on a long vertical bomb to the right sideline, setting up the Blazers at the Fairfield five-yard line.
With 10:51 in the second quarter, Howard would find wide receiver Hayden Morris on a perfectly-executed post pattern. After the PAT, Ridge View extended their lead to 14-6.
When Fairfield took back possession, they would trek deep into Blazers’ territory in a drive that would last just under four minutes. Griffin quarterback Kaden Diggs showcased some of his running abilities, managing the Griffin’s run-pass option offense with composure and poise. He read the defense, stepped up in the pocket to take off with speed, and proved his toughness, absorbing big hits from the Ridge View defense.
With 7:42 before the half, a deep pass to wide receiver Jayden Boyd was well-timed and on target, but the quarterback and wide receiver could not make the connection. The drive would stall with 6:40 when Greer dropped a short comeback route from Diggs.
The Blazers widened their lead to 21-6 on a physical 11-yard run up the middle from sophomore running back Aidan Keefe with 1:40. Fairfield had Ridge View pinned on the 35-yard line with 1:49, but Howard found an opening and scrambled to the left to pick up 24 yards and put his team within striking distance.
The Griffins had multiple moments of excitement against Ridge View’s offensive machine throughout the game. Fairfield’s 6-foot, 170-pound defensive back Christopher Pearson, who has Division 1 scholarship offers from Charleston Southern and Richmond, tracked down Gidron in his tracks on a bubble screen, finishing with a tackle against the top group. Pearson was able to test his skills against the high-level player who is being recruited nationally, including Alabama, Georgia, and South Carolina. It was a high-profile position battle between the two star local athletes.
Gidron appeared to put the game out of reach for the Griffins during kickoff to open the third quarter. The wide receiver shifted his speed into the second gear for a touchdown. After a successful PAT, the Blazers’ led 28-6 with 11:45 left in the third.
Fairfield battled their way back into the contest with a gutsy 80-yard drive engineered by senior quarterback Ford Davis on the next drive. Davis split time at the position with Diggs, and the performance by both signal-callers demonstrated reasons for Griffins’ fans to be hopeful heading into the remainder of the season.
Greer took a third down dump-off pass from the Griffins’ 20 to 37-yard line, outrunning and dragging Blazer defenders along the way. After a deep attempt to wide receiver Christian Hingleton, it was Greer who scored again.
This time, Davis scrambled into open into space under pressure and found the running back wide open on a long vertical throw to the Blazers’ 32-yard line. Greer cruised past the Ridge View defense. A failed PAT left the Griffins trailing 28-12.
The two schools traded blows once again in a fireworks-filled third quarter. Blazer JaLyq Black would go untouched to the end zone after a snag on a flat route at the 20-yard line with 6:02 remaining, extending the Ridge View lead to 35-12.
However, the Griffins would return fire with a highlight-reel worthy quarterback run from Diggs on a misdirection option play. The junior had many fans convinced that sophomore Kenyan Douglas was in possession of the ball on a run to the right. By the time fans could tell the difference, the Blazers’ lead had been trimmed to 35-18.
In the fourth quarter, Gidron provided the final difference for Ridge View with another designed run from the quarterback position with 5:19 to go.
Fairfield will hit the road this week for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff against Union County. They return to EK McLendon to host CA Johnson on Sept. 6.
