FAIRVIEW YELLOWJACKETS
Coach: ROBERT BERNARD
15-0
OFFENSE
What a ride it’s been at Fairview. The Yellowjackets are the back-to-back defending state champions and riding a 30-game winning streak. Quarterback Jax Bernard (6-0, 185, Sr.) has been under center for all of it. Bernard has a career record of 41-1 and has flat out ridiculous numbers. He’s thrown for 8,608 yards with 107 touchdowns and rushed for 1,273 yards and 28 touchdowns. While Bernard has been the best player in Class A the past two years, Fairview is far from one dimensional. Grant Church (5-11, 170, Sr.) was part of the rotation at running back a year ago. He has the most experience returning at the position with 131 carries for 654 yards and 11 touchdowns as a junior. Bernard has the arm strength to throw the football from sideline to sideline and can get the ball in the hands of any receivers. Easton Hamar (6-2, 175, Sr.) and Hadon Miller (6-2, 160, So.) return to spots in the receiving corps after combining for 5 touchdown receptions last year. Miller has a chance to have a breakout season as a junior. Boden Miller (6-0, 200, Sr.) is back to anchor the offensive line at center. Jacobi Withers (5-10, 215, Jr.) returns after missing most of last season with an injury. He will see time on both sides of the ball.
DEFENSE
The Yellowjackets are used to winning battles along the line of scrimmage. Edge pressure has been a trademark of the defense and will be again this season behind Eli Winans (6-0, 210, Sr.) and Trace Bonham (6-0, 190, Sr.). Winans displayed an incredible nose for the football, scooping up six fumble recoveries to go along with 63 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks. Bonham added 41 tackles and four sacks from the opposite end. Both players will also see time on the offensive line. Miller is the team’s leading returning tacker with 133 stops, two interceptions and two sacks. Ridge Cottrill (6-0, 190, So.) and Colt Hamen (5-10, 170, Sr.) combined for 112 tackles alongside Miller at linebacker. Easton Hamar is one of the top cover guys in Class A. Hamar broke up a whopping 16 passes on the season and came away with three interceptions. Aiden Nightengale (5-8, 140, So.) and Ethan McEachern (5-9, 140, So.) and Wyatt Schmitz (5-10, 165, Sr.) will join Hamar as starters in the secondary. Fairview has sustained the loss of some tremendous players around Bernard at quarterback. The Yellowjackets continue to produce talent throughout the ranks and have a legitimate chance to keep the streak alive for another season.
