Fairfield trickery befuddles Bloodhounds

FORT MADISON – The triple option set the Fairfield Trojans employed against the Bloodhounds Friday night wasn’t anything unexpected.
But the ease at which they got through to the secondary and beyond was a source of frustration for the Fort Madison coaching staff and head coach Derek Doherty in the Hounds' 50-12 loss, their seventh of the season.
“I don’t even have to go back to film. I already know. You gotta want to tackle in this game and we had such a great week. We tackled really well.  We were playing physical, and that’s what we were preaching to the kids,” Doherty said.
“Then we come out here and we go right back to not doing the things that they’re coached to do. So we’re obviously not getting through to them and that’s a me thing.”
Fairfield scored twice on their first two possessions totaling seven plays. They racked up 106 yards rushing in those first two series for a 14-0 lead. They would score again on just three plays in their third possession, again all on the ground, while the Hounds were going four and out on their first two possessions.
The Hounds had a hard time shifting gears in the early going down 20-0. On their third possession of the first quarter, they put together a solid drive of 11 plays going 31 yards but quarterback Stefan Berlett took a sack on 4th and 1 to turn the ball over on downs.
The Bloodhounds would hold the Trojans on the next series and recover a fumble at the Hound 9 to stop a drive to open the second quarter. Then sophomore running back Mo Thacher would lead the Hounds 91 yards for their first score going 43 yards on six carries that produced four first downs. Then Berlett went to freshman Aurelio Jaciunde in the right flat and the shifty Jaciunde raced in from 27 yards for the Hounds' first TD and a 20-6 game with the failed PAT.
Fairfield would come back and score again starting at the 50 when Fort Madison’s kick-off sailed out of bounds and then a squibber rekick was recovered at midfield. Ethan Bisgard took off up the middle for 43 yards on 1st and 10 and the Trojans were in two plays later for a 28-6 lead.
Fort Madison would get their final score of the night on the next possession with a boost from Jaciunde’s return to the Trojan 17. He would also hookup again with Berlett for an 11-yard pass play to the 4 before Thacher ran it in two plays later for the 28-12 lead.

But Fort Madison again gave up a quick score on Fairfield’s next possession having a lot of trouble sniffing out where the ball was going. Zandrick Allison would score on 1st and 10 from the 13 on a run around the right end.
“We had a great week of practice and I’m like, ‘OK, we’re understanding finally' and then we come out here, and we don’t tackle, we have really bad eye discipline,” Doherty said.
“We preached defensively do not look into the backfield, you’ve got a gap and not a man. But we wanted to stand tall and peak into the backfield and then we get our butts driven off the ball.”
Fort Madison opened the second half with energy off the line, but a backward pass by Berlett skipped off the wet ground and was recovered by the Trojans. They would score four plays later for a 44-12 lead and would add a touchdown early in the 4th quarter to start the running clock.
“We had a couple of explosive plays on offense and moved the ball OK, but it was one step forward, two steps back,” Doherty said. “I mean, we just continuously shoot ourselves in the foot. A couple times we BINGO’d and ran the same play that we executed extremely well the first time and then just completely whiff the second time. These guys don't show up to lose and to screw up their assignments and stuff, but obviously I'm not getting through to them.
“We've got to get a full submersion buy in and, until we do, this is going to be the kind of feeling we have, which is horrible.”
Thacher ran the ball 24 times on the night for 84 yards and a touchdown. Jaciunde led the Hounds’ offense with 47 yards on the ground on nine carries and an additional 60 yards on five catches and a score. Jaciunde also gobbled up yards on returns including the 53-yard return that set up the score before the half.
Eric Cornelis had 27 yards on five carries and led the Hounds in tackles with 7.5. Jaciunde had four. Berlett was 8-of-15 throwing for 86 yards and a TD.
The Hounds (0-7) travel to (3-4) Washington next week and wrap up the season at home against No. 3 Solon  on Oct. 24.