Published: November 12, 2009 11:42 pm      

Eagles need ultimate effort at LCA

WESTWOOD — Fairview is playing its best football of the season.

The Eagles know they will need to step it up even more Friday night against top-ranked Lexington Christian in the second round of the Class A playoffs.

Kickoff is 7:30 p.m. in Lexington.

“It’s a great opportunity for us to go play against obviously the favorite to win the state championship,’’ said Fairview coach Nathan McPeek. “Everybody knows LCA is very talented and explosive. If we can eliminate turnovers and play well, we have a chance to hang around.’’

When the teams met three weeks ago in Westwood, LCA converted four Eagles’ turnovers into 28 points that snowballed into a 42-0 final score.

“Lexington Christian is too good for us to hand them stuff,’’ McPeek said.

Fairview wants to avoid extending that same kind of generosity to a team that shut out all four district opponents during the regular season.

McPeek said the most impressive thing about LCA is the team’s overall athletic ability.

“Their quarterback (Lucas Witt) and tailback (Dominique Hayden) are four-year starters,’’ McPeek said. “They have a bunch of very good players with speed and experience.’’

Witt has thrown for 1,536 yards and 25 touchdowns this season, without an interception. He sat out last week’s 70-31 shellacking of Berea.

“They claim he needed some rest,’’ McPeek said. “Obviously, LCA didn’t need him that night. I expect him and their whole team to play Friday.’’

Witt, also a Division I baseball prospect, has carried for 458 yards and six TDs this season.

“He’s definitely a playmaker,’’ McPeek said. “It’s tough to rattle him. It goes back to experience.’’

Hayden ran for 217 yards and six touchdowns against Berea. That boosted his career rushing TD total to 110, tying Hayden for the state record with former Fort Knox standout Derek Homer who also played at the University of Kentucky.

“Hayden is strong and athletic, and their offensive line does a great job,’’ McPeek said. “It’s hard to get a piece of him. We have a game plan and hopefully will be able to slow them down.’’

Fairview (8-3) is coming off an impressive 33-8 victory at Williamsburg in the opening round.

“It was a nice win in a very tough environment,’’ McPeek said. “We’re hitting on all cylinders as best we can.’’

Running back Drew Boyd led the offense by rushing for 186 yards and four TDs. His 40-yarder in the opening quarter put the Eagles in front to stay.

Boyd’s output enabled him to join teammate T.J. Shelton as 1,000-yard rushers this season. Shelton carried for 135 yards and a TD against Williamsburg.

Fairview again benefited from strong line play offensively and defensively. Senior Zac Segina was recognized Wednesday as the Eastern Kentucky Conference’s Lineman of the Year.

ROCKY STANLEY can be reached at rstanley@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2671.