“He said make a play,” Partenach said. “So I get in there and I’m thinking I’ve got to make a play for the team.”
Partenach pushed the Wayne lineman blocking him into quarterback Tyrell Lewis and forced a fumble. When Partenach saw the ball on the turf he remembered Coach Baker’s words and thought: “Hey, I gotta make a play.”
Part three of the play of the game was Partenach recovering the fumble at the seven. On the next play, running back Drew Baker scored from seven yards out to lift the Firebirds to a 26-21 victory.
“This means the world to us,” Partenach said. “It’s our legacy. We never beat Wayne in the past like three or four years. So do this for Coach Miller, for the team and for everyone else in our community it’s awesome.”
Actually, this is Fairmont’s first win over Wayne (5-3, 3-2 Greater Western Ohio Conference) since 2008. The games have been close since 2017, including overtime in 2019. Last year Wayne won 17-15 when Fairmont (6-2, 3-2) had a two-point conversion stopped and had and extra point and field goal blocked.
“Just elated for our kids,” Fairmont coach Dave Miller said. “They just battled and battled and battled. They come out in the second half and momentum shifts all over the place and they just kept playing.”
Fairmont, which had a big road win two weeks ago at Springfield, led 17-7 at halftime. But Wayne rallied to lead 21-20 heading into the fourth quarter on Lewis touchdown passes of 32 yards to Teaunn Hunter (six catches, 99 yards) and 10 yards to Kamaurri Smith. Lewis was 18-of-28 for 224 yards.
The Firebirds made two big special teams plays in the second half. Baker, who rushed for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries, returned the kickoff after Hunter’s touchdown 71 yards to set up Will Holt’s 31-yard field goal for a 20-14 lead in the third.
The last big play came when punter Brock Baker (also the quarterback) pinned the Warriors deep when his kick rolled out of bounds at the 5 with 1:54 left. Wayne moved across midfield, but penalties stacked up and time ran out.
Kamron Payne added 76 yards rushing and a TD for Fairmont, which hosts Centerville on Friday.
RJ Mukes III caught nine passes for 89 yards for Wayne, which visits Springboro on Friday.
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