High School Football Preview: A closer look at the Fairfield Christian Academy Knights

LANCASTER - The high school football season gets underway in less than two weeks in what should be another exciting year.

With the Ohio High School Athletic Association expanding the playoffs to 16 teams in each region qualifying for the postseason a few years ago, there is an excellent opportunity for even more teams to qualify for the postseason. The playoffs will begin on Nov. 1.

Here is a closer look at the Knights preparing for their season opener on Aug. 24.

More: FCA’s Blair and FC’s O’Rielley earn first team All-Ohio football honors

More: Big plays and suffocating defense combine for FCA shutout win

FAIRFIELD CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

Coach: Marcus Pardon-Dudash (fourth season)

Conference: Mid-State League-Cardinal Division

2021 record: 9-3 (MSL-Cardinal Division champions, lost in the second round of playoffs)

Key returners: Danny Blair, Sr., RB/S; Hudson Harper, Sr., WR/DB; Brayden Stem, Jr., WR/DB; TJ Blair, Jr., WR/DB; Parker Couch, Jr., QB/LB; Tucker Harper, Jr., C/DL; Asher Rowley, Soph., OL/LB; Zack Price, Jr., WR/DB.

Key newcomers: Eli Herron, Fr., WR/DB; Lucas Brinley, Fr., OL/DE; Landon Huffer, Jr., OL/DL; Josh Hammill, Fr., OL/DE.

Coach Pardon-Dudash’s take: “We will be very young this season and continuing to get better. Our numbers will be low, as they are with many of the small schools in Central Ohio, so combating the injury bug will be the key to us making it through the season. We look forward to the challenge of trying to compete against the teams in the MSL-Cardinal as we try to stay healthy and build in the right direction.”

What to expect: Coming off a Mid-State League-Cardinal Division championship and a playoff win, the Knights head into the 2024 season with plenty of momentum. They will be led by All-Ohio running back Danny Blair. However, there are a lot of new faces, and because of the small roster, depth could become an issue, but if the Knights remain healthy, they should be right there at the end of the season competing for another league title.

Schedule

Aug. 23 at Portsmouth Notre Dame

Aug. 30 at Oak Hill

Sept. 6 at Federal Hocking

Sept. 13 Grove City Christian

Sept. 21 at Fisher Catholic (Sat.)

Sept. 27 at Martins Ferry

Oct. 4 Zanesville Rosecrans

Oct. 11 at Miller

Oct. 18 Millersport

Oct. 25 at Berne Union

Tom Wilson is a sports reporter for the Lancaster Eagle-Gazette. Contact him at 740-689-5150 or via email at twilson@gannett.com for comments or story tips. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @twil2323.

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: High School Football Preview: A closer look at the Fairfield Christian Academy Knights