Beavercreek, Ohio – October 24, 2025

On a chilly Friday night in Beavercreek, the Fairmont Firebirds leaned on their hallmark blend of discipline, defense, and determination to secure a 14–7 victory over the Beavers, improving to 5-5 on the season.

Senior quarterback JJ Hill and junior running back Logan Doty powered a balanced Firebird offense that once again controlled the tempo, while Fairmont’s defense came up with key stops throughout the night to earn a win in the regular season finale.

--

Doty Opens the Scoring

After Beavercreek chewed up nearly six minutes on the game’s opening drive but came away empty, Fairmont’s offense answered in vintage fashion — an 8-play, 72-yard march built on rhythm and patience. Hill sparked the series with a 25-yard completion to Damien Pattin, setting the stage for Doty’s downhill running.

The junior tailback followed blocks from Charlie Price and Kolby Wallace, breaking tackles and cutting through the middle of the Beaver defense for an 18-yard gain to the 8-yard line. Moments later, Doty finished the job from three yards out to give Fairmont a 7–0 lead with 1:48 left in the first quarter.

That early punch proved to be the only score of the first half, but Fairmont’s offense repeatedly threatened. A long second-quarter drive that reached the Beavercreek 11-yard line ended on a rare fumble, and a 49-yard field goal attempt by Kole Krejny on the final play of the half sailed just wide left.

Still, the Firebirds dominated possession and the trenches, with Doty, Hill, and Skyler Slifer combining for over 100 first-half rushing yards.

--

Trading Blows in the Third

Beavercreek found life early in the third quarter after a long punt return set them up deep in Firebird territory. Three plays later, quarterback Jack Minnick connected with Andrew LeBlanc on a 21-yard touchdown pass to even the score at 7–7.

But the Firebirds didn’t flinch.

Hill led a crisp eight-play, 71-yard response, highlighted by a 17-yard third-down connection to Nolan Stringer and several tough runs by Doty. On first down from the 29-yard line, Hill found Stringer again streaking down the middle, and the senior receiver hauled in the go-ahead touchdown with 4:33 left in the third. Demaris Shafeek’s extra point put Fairmont back in front, 14–7.

--

Defense and Clock Control Close It Out

The Firebird defense, led by Skyler Slifer, Demetrius Winn, and Kolby Wallace, took over from there. Slifer was active on the edge, while Winn anchored the line with multiple tackles for loss. Fairmont’s front repeatedly bottled up Beavercreek’s running game, limiting the Beavers to short gains and forcing them into long third downs.

On offense, Doty continued to grind away the clock. Early in the fourth, he carried the ball seven times on an 11-play drive that spanned more than six minutes and pushed into Beavercreek territory ?. Though the Firebirds didn’t add to their lead, the sustained possession left the Beavers with little time to mount a comeback.

Beavercreek’s final drive reached the Fairmont 31-yard line in the closing minutes, but the Firebird defense once again stood tall, forcing a turnover on downs before Hill took two knees to seal the win.

--

By the Numbers

According to the official GWOC box score, Fairmont outgained Beavercreek 247–182, including 218 yards on the ground. Doty led all rushers with 117 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, while Hill added 52 rushing yards and 65 through the air, including the game-winning score to Stringer.

The Firebird defense held Beavercreek to just one third-down conversion in ten attempts, while forcing five punts and controlling time of possession by nearly a 2-to-1 margin.

LOOKING AHEAD
While the "Official" playoff seeding has not been released, early projections appear that Fairmont will go on the road in the first round of the playoffs to face Lebanon. Fairmont would enter the playoffs as a 9 seed out of 12 within the region and face Lebanon as an 8 seed. Further details will be provided as soon as the rankings become official and the bracket is released.