The Fair Grove Varsity Football Team was awarded the District Champion title after winning the District Championship against rival school, Strafford High School, on November 10, 2023.
“It feels great… we are here to win the whole thing,” stated Oakland Morrison (12), the right tackle and number 64 on the varsity team, described how it feels to have earned the title of District Champions during his senior season after playing for the last four years with Fair Grove.
The Fair Grove Varsity Football Team had yet to win a District Championship throughout the last nine years, until recently. At the end of the 2022 season, the team lost to Lamar during the District Championship.
After that, the team began to step up their training to prepare for the 2023 season. Brock Bruner (11) stated, “ It started right after the big loss to Lamar where we all made a promise that this was the last time that we lost and started taking everything more seriously. Whether that be in the weight room or the team getting on a weight gaining program. Then As soon as summer hit we were doing 5:30 am practice every day.”
The hard work from the team paid off when they were able to close the District Championship game with a score of 26-10 against the infamous rival school, Strafford High School. This game led to the conclusion of Strafford’s 2023 season, and the continuation of Fair Grove’s season, progressing the team into state games.
The team has had an incredible season, entering the District Championship with a record of 10-0, and ending the District Championship with a record of 13-0. Jackson Martin (12) has been playing football for Fair Grove for the past four years, and is currently the middle linebacker and number 50 on the varsity team, discusses how they came to have this record stating, “it’s a culmination of many years in the program and the culture that has been built up and the hard work we have all been putting in. We plan to win it all and that will be our legacy.”
For the past ten years Bill Voorhis has been the head coach for the football program, and has been with the team in playing for the title of District Champions for the last nine years.
Voorhis states, “this is something the team has wanted to do, they have been talking about this game since this summer. Their goal was to get back out there and win that game.” He continues by asserting, “anytime we can end Strafford’s season, that’s a big deal.”
The Fair Grove Varsity Football team begins their first round of state semifinals on Saturday, November 18 at 2 p.m., playing at and against Father Tolton Catholic High School.
