Fairdale won its sixth consecutive game in impressive fashion Friday night, as the Bulldogs routed visiting Bullitt East 53-6 in first-round playoff action.
Fairdale (7-4) will play South Oldham next week, while Bullitt East’s season ends at 3-8.
“That was the best game we’ve played all year as a unit,” Fairdale head coach Matt Wright said. “You’re trying to get better each week at this point in the season. So it’s exciting that we played our best game so far at this time.”
Fairdale scored the game’s first 25 points, 13 of those in the first quarter. Max Cole ran it in from 14 yards, then kicked the extra point for a 7-0 lead 4:23 into the game. Cole then scored on a 7-yard pass from Dylan Garcia to make it 13-0 three minutes later.
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Bullitt East offered some resistance in the form of an 80-yard kickoff return by Mitchell Langley, but the Chargers couldn’t cash in. So the Bulldogs marched 97 yards for another score, this one a 10-yard pass from Garcia to Jaylain Trotter with 10:41 left in the first half. Two minutes later Cole scored on a 35-yard run, and the visitors were down 25-0.
The Chargers scored their only touchdown on a four-yard pass from Zach Kessler to Cameron Dorsey to make it 25-6, but the Bulldogs added two more touchdowns – Garcia passes to Trotter (14 yards) and Cole (17 yards) – for a 39-6 lead at the half.
A 1-yard plunge by Cole earned a running clock at 46-6 with 6:13 left in the third quarter, and backup quarterback Jordan Brock reached into the end zone to complete a 10-yard run and complete the scoring.
Fairdale outgained Bullitt East 437 yards to 141 and won the turnover battle 3-0. The Bulldogs attempted just one pass in the second half, grinding out the victory.
FAIRDALE 53, BULLITT EAST 6
| Bullitt East | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | – | 6 |
| Fairdale | 13 | 26 | 7 | 7 | – | 53 |
First Quarter: Fairdale: Max Cole 14 run (Cole kick); F: Cole 7 pass from Dylan Garcia (kick blocked); Second Quarter: F: Jaylain Trotter 10 pass from Garcia (pass failed); F: Cole 35 run (pass failed); Bullitt East: Cameron Dossey 4 pass from Zach Kessler (run failed); F: Trotter 14 pass from Garcia (Cole kick); F: Cole 17 pass from Garcia (Cole kick); Third Quarter: F: Cole 1 run (Cole kick); Fourth Quarter: F: Jordan Brock 10 run (Cole kick).
| BE | Fair | |
| Total yards | 141 | 437 |
| First downs | 6 | 16 |
| Rushes-yds. | 19-53 | 41-251 |
| Comp-Att-Int | 10-17-1 | 8-20-0 |
| Passing yards | 88 | 186 |
| Fumbles-lost | 3-3 | 0-0 |
| Penalties-yds. | 1-15 | 3-16 |
| Punts-avg. | 1-38.0 | 2-35.0 |