SPRINGBORO - In Week 6 of the 2025 season, the Fairmont Men’s Soccer Team hosted the Springboro Panthers in a thrilling match that saw the Panthers score two goals in the final three minutes to win 3-4. Last night these two heavy-weight teams squared off again with the Birds travelling to Wade Field to
take on the Panthers in the first round of the Division I playoffs. Well, those grounds are the
Birds’ home away from home in the playoffs, and for the second time in three years the Birds delivered
a knock-out blow with a steely, disciplined, and well-deserved 2-1 victory.

Fairmont came out of its corner swinging and in the fourth minute Torin Brock forced a low save from the Panthers’ keeper over the end line for a corner kick. Brock took the ensuing corner, and it was nodded over the end line for a corner from the Panther sideline. Gavin Weaver then delivered a sumptuous ball to the far post that found Bien Niyonkuru rise above the crowd and head the ball into the goal for a 1-0 lead. The Panthers were in a dangerous position for a freekick outside the penalty area in the seventh minute, but the Fairmont wall did its job and smothered the chance. In the thirteenth minute, Grey Danner was played into the host’s penalty area, but the chance dissolved as the Panther defense collapsed upon him. Gavin Fourman was called to duty and delivered a blow to the Panthers’ psyche with a spectacular diving save from open play in the fourteenth minute and then smothered a penalty kick ten minutes later from the GWOC’s point leader, senior Rowen Arnold. The teams retired to their corners at halftime with the Birds up 1-0.

In the second half, Fairmont maintained its defensive solidity and had some success early on getting in
behind the Panthers' backline, but they never quite tested the keeper. Bien stole the ball in the backfield in the forty-first minute, but his shot sailed high. Freddy Irakoze broke into the box in the forty-ninth minute but lashed his shot just wide of the far post. Will Herman was played through by Weaver in the fifty-third minute, but his shot was saved. On its third corner of the half, Springboro finally found an equalizer in the sixty-first minute, and the run of play seesawed back and forth between the teams with neither having a clear chance on goal. However, with one minute remaining Irakoze cut in from the left touchline and lashed a shot at goal that looked to be the game winner. But, to the dismay of the Birds and the relief of the Panthers, his shot glanced off the crossbar forcing extra time.

That relief was short-lived, and it only took twenty-eight seconds in extra time to end the seventh-
ranked Panthers’ season. From the Springboro kickoff, the Birds’ intense pressure forced a turnover that saw Bien steal the ball and set up Herman for the knockout blow with a left-footed shot past the Boro keeper. Pandemonium ensued, the hosts quickly shut off the scoreboard, and once again Fairmont prevailed. Go Birds!

Fairmont will play the 6-seed from Cincinnati, Walnut Hills, this Saturday, October 25th at Lakota East High School. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.