The team dream ended abruptly for the Fairfield boys tennis squad. After winning its first sectional title in six years, Fairfield couldn’t solve Elkhart enough in a 3-2 loss in the NorthWood Boys Tennis Regional semi-finals. Two dubs ended on a win, with Grady Garber and Cameron Cripe outlasting Hayden Holdeman and Matthew Grolich 7-6 (5), 6-2, and at one singles, Garrett Stoltzfus made quick work of Brady Kelly, love and love, to keep his individual season alive.
Logan Kelly and Ben Miller each got singles wins over Drew Beachy and Conner LeCount, respectively, and Elkhart got the clincher at one dubs, where Noah Dibley and Cameron Miller weathered a three-set win over Brant Garber and Andrew Mathews, 6-4, 4-6, 6-3.
Stoltzfus returned to NorthWood on Wednesday and left a sectional champion in the individual tournament, the last man standing of the undefeated No. 1s. Stoltzfus beat Jimtown’s Zane Wort 6-1, 6-0 to advance to the individual regional. Penn’s Chris Chen also left NorthWood undefeated, but his Kingsmen won the team regional, so Chen and Stotlzfus both are alive. Details on Stoltzfus’ next match will be provided once the state issues the regional brackets at the conclusion of all the state sectionals.
Fairfield closed out its high school home volleyball calendar Tuesday with a 3-0 win over rival Westview. Eva Herbert and Ariana Schwartz combined for 23 kills while Schwartz led the defense with 16 digs. Abigail Graber and Maddy Miller contributed 36 assists and 14 digs, and Graber also had a pair of service aces. The JV knocked off Westview 2-0, Aubrey Ross with nine kills, Jenna Fought with eight assists and three aces, Natalie Lenker with seven assists, five digs and three aces, and Shelby Cripe with five digs.
In the final regular season contest for the Lady Falcons, Fairfield went the literal distance with Churubusco Thursday night, winning 3-2 on the road, the final game going 15-13 in favor of the visitors.
Three players were in double digits in kills, with Schwartz and Lacy Stoltzfus both with 13 kills and Paige Park adding 10. Eva Herbert was one off the mark with nine. Park and Cripe both had 20 digs and Miller had 21 assists and 13 digs in the marathon match. The Eagles JV held off Fairfield in a wild 2-1 affair, the deciding set 15-12. Jaida Fry and Ross each had five kills, Fought added four aces and seven assists, and Kenedy Griffin had 11 digs on defense.
At Saturday’s NECC tournament, Fairfield finished fourth overall, beating Fremont, 2-1, but losing to Angola, 2-0, and Lakeland, 2-1. For the tournament, Herbert had 16 kills, 10 blocks and 10 aces, Park had 17 kills and seven blocks, Schwartz had 21 digs and 10 kills, Cripe dug 23 attempts, Miller posted 33 assists, 15 digs and four aces, Graber assisted on 26 points, and Stoltzfus had 11 blocks.
Fairfield’s football offense woke up Friday night, adding a passing game element to the fold in a 48-38 win at home against Lakeland. Kahler Maust completed 7-8 attempts for 155 yards and a touchdown, connecting with Kasey Hershberger for a 61-yard score in the first half. Hershberger had a career night, catching five passes for 118 yards. Breckan Maran did Breckan Maran things, rushing for 137 yards and four scores, and Blake Metzger broke the 100-yard plateau again, going for 117 and two scores.
Hunter Kauffman had nine tackles on defense plus a sack, and also had a 30-yard pass reception in the win.
Fairfield will visit Churubusco this Friday to close out the regular season, then host Fort Wayne Concordia Oct. 25 in the first round of the Class 3-A Sectional 26 tournament.
Fairfield cheer continued to impress with a first place award in varsity competition at Saturday’s Northern Indiana Cheer Championships hosted by NorthWood High School. Individually, Maddie Culp was first overall and Callahan Lehman was third overall in their group, and Mya Mathews was second in junior high individual competition.