The Firebirds beat Wayne 26-21 in Week 8.
Down 20-17 in the fourth quarter, the Firebirds put together a 13-play, 87-yard drive that was capped by a 1-yard touchdown run by Baker with 1:45 to go. Baker, who became Fairmont’s all-time leading rusher last week, carried the ball 12 times on the drive. He finished with 170 yards and three touchdowns on 30 carries.
Fairmont (7-4), the seventh seed, will travel to No. 2 Springfield, a 35-7 winner over Olentangy Orange, in the second round next week. The Firebirds handed the Wildcats their lone loss this season 24-21 in Week 6.
Wayne, seeded 10th, finishes 6-5.
“We just kept saying ‘We’re going to score, we’re going to score,’ on the final drive,” Baker said. “We drove it right down their throat. We got it done.”
“That’s kind of how were supposed to do it,” Fairmont head coach Dave Miller said. “Tonight it worked. It was kind of shaky there for a little bit, but we got it done when it mattered.”
Wayne took a 20-10 lead on the first play of the fourth quarter on a 23-yard field goal by Luke Daulton.
On the ensuing possession Fairmont completed a 49-yard pass on the first snap from Brock Baker to Noah Wilkins. It was the only pass Fairmont attempted in both wins over Wayne. Drew Baker capped the drive with a 1-yard touchdown run with 9:17 to go.
Following a Wayne punt, Fairmont began its game-winning drive on its own 13 with 6:22 to play.
Baker carried the ball on the last 10 plays.
“We got it done up front,” Miller said. “Our offensive line came off the ball, Drew ran hard and Brock made good reads. We got big chunks.”
“Our line takes their nickname (Blue Hogs) to heart and they do an awesome job,” Drew Baker said. “It’s a privilege to run behind them.”
Baker heads into next week with 3,625 career rushing yards and 40 rushing touchdowns.
Tyler Adkins interception with 1:22 to play sealed the win.
Fairmont was whistled for just one penalty – a pass interference call that kept alive a Wayne scoring drive in the third quarter.
Zachariah Williams paced Wayne with 132 yards rushing and a touchdown on 17 carries. Quarterback Tyrell Lewis completed 11-of-16 passes for 102 yards and had a touchdown pass to Ka’maurri Smith.
The Firebirds outgained Wayne 286-279 in total yards.
Fairmont is in the playoffs for the sixth time in school history and fifth time under Miller.
“Our mindset this year is that we’re going to compete and beat every one that comes at us,” Drew Baker said. “Every opponent is a monster. But we can play with any of them.”
Said Miller: “The road just keeps getting steeper.”
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