HARRISBURG — Normally high school football teams get a week to prepare for their next opponent. Not much is normal about this high school football season though.

Harrisburg was originally scheduled to visit Du Quoin this week, and Fairfield was to travel to Vienna/Goreville, but Covid issues and low numbers led to the Bulldogs and Mules having to call a midweek audible for the two teams to meet Friday night in Harrisburg.

The unbeaten Mules looked very much the part in the first half, scoring three touchdowns and a field goal in their five possessions, while stifling the Bulldogs’ offense. Fairfield led 23-0 at the half.

After a scoreless third quarter, the Bulldogs made it interesting in the fourth, scoring a pair of touchdowns and nearly recovering the kickoff following the second TD. Fairfield did not give Harrisburg’s offense another chance, grinding out the final 5:42, securing an emotional win for the Mules.

“It’s been a roller coaster, fighting every week to get football games for our kids, and making sure we can play,” Fairfield head coach Justin Townsend send. “The Black Diamond gets a bad rap sometimes. We got an opportunity to step out and play a really good Harrisburg team out of the River to River. We played awesome in the first half, and kinda held on in the second half.”

“I’m just extremely proud of our kids,” Townsend added. “It’s a huge win for our program. I know people are going to question that because we’re state ranked and all that, but down in southern Illinois we don’t get a lot of credit in our conference. We just felt like this was an opportunity to come out and prove ourselves, and our kids responded.”

Senior Kaleb Wells led the Fairfield attack on both sides of the ball. He was the Mules leading rusher with 95 yards and two touchdowns, the leading receiver with 59 yards, and leading tackler with 11 stops.

Fairfield will close the season by hosting Eldorado. The Mules will be trying to earn at least a share of the BDC title. They have won or shared the conference championship the past four seasons.

Harrisburg will wrap up the season with a trip to West Frankfort.