Chance Short
chance.short@irontontribune.com

BEVERLY — The No. 3 seed Fairland Dragons (8-1) will travel to No. 1 seed Fort Frye (9-0) Saturday night for a regional championship game at 7 pm.
This is the fifth playoff appearance for the Fairland program.
The Dragons had never won a postseason game until this season, making this the program’s first-ever regional championship game.
Fort Frye has made 9 playoff appearances — all since 2000 — and this is the sixth straight trip to the postseason.
The Cadets are looking for their second state semifinal appearance.
They advanced to the state semifinals once in 2018. This is the fifth playoff appearance for Fairland and this marks the first time.
Fairland will use a balanced attack in the run/pass game and utilize athletes in space.
Running back J.D. Brumfield is coming off a 236-yard performance in the Dragons last win and quarterback Max Ward will look to find the speedy wide receiver Gavin Hunt in the passing game.
Ward has thrown for 27 touchdowns on the season and completed over 60 percent of his passes.
Gavin Hunt has 45 catches for 958 yards.
Brumfield has 114 carries for 828 yards for an average of 7.6 yards per carry.
Fort Frye will look to move the ball on the ground as they stunt a wing-T offense and will go shotgun, but they want to run the ball with their mix of athletes in Owen Brown, Mason Long, and Collin Welsh.
Brown leads the team in rushing with 557 yards on 69 attempts and 9 touchdowns on the season.
Welsh leads the team in carriers with 75 for 397 yards.
Long averages 9 yards per carry with 498 yards on 54 attempts.
Ian Ellis is the quarterback for Fort Frye and he has an efficient 67 percent completion percentage on 60 completions and 91 attempts.
The junior quarterback has thrown for eight touchdowns and six interceptions.
The two teams will battle it out at Cadet Stadium at 7 pm Saturday in a chance to advance to the state semi-finals at a site to be determined Sunday.

Fairland Dragons Offense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
SE Gavin Hunt 7 6-01 165 Sr.
RT Justin McKee 75 5-09 275 So.
RG Steven Rhodes 51 5-09 180 So.
C Mason Ward 52 5-09 180 So.
LG Casey Hudson 56 6-04 220 Jr.
LT Logan Hamlin 74 6-05 260 Sr.
Slot Zander Schmidt 8 6-00 160 Jr.
SE Steeler Leep 27 5-09 155 So.
SB Tevin Taylor 21 5-09 165 Jr.
RB J.D. Brumfield 2/4 6-00 205 Jr.
QB Max Ward 16 6-02 170 Sr.
PK Emma Marshall 1 5-06 126 Sr.

Fairland Dragons Defense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
DE Jordan Williams 5 6-02 220 Sr.
Mason Ward 52 5-09 180 So.
DT Logan Hamlin 74 6-05 260 Sr.
DT Justin McKee 75 5-09 275 So.
DE Michael Lucas 62 5-11 210 So.
LB J.D. Brumfield 2/4 6-00 205 Jr.
LB Ryan Dixon 65 5-09 200 Fr.
LB Casey Hudson 56 6-04 220 Jr.
CB Tevin Taylor 21 5-09 165 Jr.
CB Zander Schmidt 8 6-00 160 Jr.
S Gavin Hunt 7 6-01 165 Sr.
S Steeler Leep 27 5-09 155 So.
P Gavin Hunt 7 6-01 165 Sr.

Fort Frye Cadets Defense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
DE Carter Brooker 63 6-00 240 So.
DT Thomas Lenhart 67 6-00 225 Sr.
DT Brady Kutscherenko 62 6-00 215 Sr.
DE Braden Medley 87 5-11 195 Sr.
OLB Eli Johnson 20 6-00 175 So.
LB Dylan Hart 51 6-01 215 Sr.
LB Owen Brown 2 6-01 185 So.
OLB Zaiden Huck 7 5-11 180 So.
Damian Huck 9 6-01 175 Sr.
CB Jaymison Baker 80 6-03 175 Sr.
CB Brian Adkins 21 6-00 185 Sr.
S Nic Hart 12 6-03 170 Sr.
P Ian Ellis 10 6-00 180 Jr.

Fort Frye Cadets Offense
Pos. Player No. Ht. Wt. Gr.
SE Jaymison Baker 80 6-03 175 Sr.
LT Casey Brockover 50 6-03 245 Jr.
LG Hunter Kesselring 64 6-02 200 Jr.
C Dylan Hart 51 6-01 215 Sr.
RG Kaleb Bailey 53 6-03 245 So.
RT Eric Isner 55 6-05 245 Sr.
TE Braden Medley 87 5-11 195 Sr.
FL Owen Brown 2 6-01 185 So.
WB Brian Adkins 21 6-00 185 Sr.
RB Collin Welsh 5 5-09 185 Jr.
RB Maeson Long 4 5-10 170 Jr.
QB Ian Ellis 10 6-00 180 Jr.
PK Zaiden Huck 7 5-11 180 So.