Last season Centerville and Fairfield ended the season against each other, with the Elks winning 40-28.
With fans in the stands, a band, and a whole student section ready to watch football, Elks head coach Brent Ullery watched his team get off to a fast start with senior quarterback Chase Harrison (Marshall pledge) hitting junior two-way standout Nic Bruder on a 21-yard touchdown strike.
Ullery knew Fairfield had talent and would make it a fight before the night was over, and he soon saw Fairfield sophomore quarterback Talon Fisher go to work with a 61-yard touchdown strike to Hannah Nate and a Fisher 19-yard keeper for a score putting Fairfield up 14-7.
With the Elks looking to have lost a step and a level of energy, Bruder gave them their next spark with a 27-yard interception return for a touchdown squaring the score at 14 each with 2:30 left in the second quarter.
The third quarter was bland, but Fairfield got a 26-yard field goal from Aiden McGuire with 3:43 left in the quarter to go up 17-14.
Over the next minute of the game, junior running back Emable Wakilongo stepped forward as a future college prospect to watch when he broke free for a 67-yard touchdown run, making it 21-17 Centerville.
The Elks also showed they have a kicking weapon of their own in junior Jackson Courville when he hit a 47-yard field goal with 8:56 remaining in the game and the Elks up 24-17.
Wakilongo added to his touchdown total with an 8-yard scoring run putting the Elks up 31-17 and finished the night with 192 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Fairfield knew they could still make a comeback, and Fisher made the game closer with a 7-yard touchdown run with 3:11 left in the game, down 31-24.
However, Elks senior quarterback Chase Harrison would counter with a strike to his favorite receiver, Cameron Smith, for a 61-yard touchdown strike with 2:39 left in the game and up 38-24. Smith would finish with three receptions for 117-yards, and the Elks would start the season with a big win.
Centerville head coach Brent Ullery spoke with Football In Ohio about his team’s win and several of his key players.
