This Time, It’s a 42-6 Rout for Fairfax Over Hamilton

For the past four years, Fairfax-Hamilton games had been thrillers. The City neighborhood rivals had split two one-point games, while the other two games ended in ties.

But it was no contest Friday as unbeaten Fairfax breezed to a 42-6 victory over winless Hamilton in a Crosstown League opener at Fairfax.

The result surprised Fairfax Coach Denis Furlong, who said he team didn’t have a good week of practice. “I thought everything was ripe for an upset,” he said.

Hamilton Coach Dave Lertzman, though, had no illusions. “I felt all along that they were the best 3-A team,” he said. “I would be surprised if they didn’t win the 3-A title.”

Fairfax, 5-0 and averaging nearly 40 points a game, used mostly big plays to run away from Hamilton. Tailback Michael Hale scored on a 78-yard run, and quarterback Rodney Dorsett had touchdown pass plays of 62 and 32 yards.

Fairfax opened the game with an 80-yard, 16-play drive that took eight minutes and was capped by a two-yard run by Hale. The drive seemed to deflate Hamilton.

“It did take a little wind out their sails,” Furlong said.

Fairfax’s next two touchdowns both came on one-play drives, but no less impressive.

After recovering a fumble, Dorsett immediately went deep, hitting Mark McGroarty in stride up the left sideline for a 32-yard touchdown pass play at the end of the first quarter. Dorsett finished with 195 yards passing on only eight completions and was not intercepted.

Fairfax’s defense stopped Hamilton, and following a 52-yard punt, the Lions took over at their own 22. Hale, who had 12 yards in 7 carries at that point, took the pitch, went right, then ran across the field and down the left sideline for his 78-yard touchdown.

Another Hamilton fumble set up a 25-yard touchdown drive culminating with Hale’s third touchdown of the half. Hale gained 138 yards in 17 carries to give him 795 yards and 13 touchdowns for the season.

Fullback La’Trelle Barnes closed out the first-half scoring with a seven-yard touchdown run to give Fairfax a 35-0 lead.

Hamilton scored its only touchdown in the third quarter, but as was typical of their whole day, the extra point failed when the low kick hit an offensive lineman.