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Aug. 5—Happily naming off numerous players on his roster, Fairmont head coach Dave Miller feels his team is in a solid place heading into 2026.
Better than how last season played out. Coming off its first-ever GWOC title in 2024, Miller believes there may have been some complacency after getting to the top.
"They kind of just thought they could show up whenever and it would work out, and it didn't," he said. "I've charted it. This group, their average has been 56 workouts. That's the average. A year ago it was 35."
While Fairmont knocked off league champ Springfield in the regular season, all six of their losses come by seven points or fewer — including a first-round playoff defeat in the final seconds at Lebanon.
The Firebirds have become a playoff mainstay under Miller's watch, making it in each of the past six seasons and eight times in his 10 years in charge.
They have the fullback to get them back into contention this year. Senior Logan Doty is the GWOC's returning leading rusher and vocal leader of the option offense. In front of him will be Ben McIlvain, who recently committed to FCS school Lafayette, heading the offensive line and a new quarterback in junior Reagan Heffner.
Kolby Wallace is one of the senior leaders of a defense that was one of the league's best last season. He is joined by a pair of solid defensive backs in Demetrius Winn and Connor Robinson.
"We had a lot of guys last year come in pretty late into the season," Doty said. "This year the guys have been here. A big difference in just team camaraderie and buy-in."
Fairmont Firebirds
2025 Record: 5-6 (5-2, t2nd), Division I regional first round
Coach: Dave Miller (11th year, 54-52)
League: GWOC
Need to know: Fairmont's tough luck of six losses by one score or fewer in 2025 is its longest stretch of close call defeats since seven such losses occurred from 1994-96.
Players to watch (2025 statistics)
Logan Doty, RB, 5-11, 200, sr. (208ATT, 1,157YDS, 8TD)
Josiah Hargrave, WR/DB, 6-2, 170, jr. (2REC, 15YDS, 1TKL)
Reagan Heffner, QB, 6-2, 185, jr. (3/5, 50YDS, 9ATT, 33YDS, 1TD)
Ben McIlvain, OL, 6-3, 255, sr.
Damien Pattin, RB, 5-10, 180, sr. (116ATT, 483YDS, 5TD)
Connor Robinson, DB, 5-9, 175, sr. (70TKL, 4TFL, 3PB)
Kolby Wallace, LB, 6-1, 185, sr. (73TKL, 3.5TFL)
Demetrius Winn, WR/DB, 5-7, 160, sr. (56TKL, 4.5 TFL, 3PB)
Schedule
Aug. 20 — Alter
Aug. 28 — at Trotwood
Sept. 4 — La Salle
Sept. 11 — Centerville
Sept. 18 — at Wayne
Sept. 25 — Miamisburg
Oct. 2 — at Northmont
Oct. 9 — Springboro
Oct. 16 — at Springfield
Oct. 23 — Beavercreek
Continue reading...
Better than how last season played out. Coming off its first-ever GWOC title in 2024, Miller believes there may have been some complacency after getting to the top.
"They kind of just thought they could show up whenever and it would work out, and it didn't," he said. "I've charted it. This group, their average has been 56 workouts. That's the average. A year ago it was 35."
While Fairmont knocked off league champ Springfield in the regular season, all six of their losses come by seven points or fewer — including a first-round playoff defeat in the final seconds at Lebanon.
The Firebirds have become a playoff mainstay under Miller's watch, making it in each of the past six seasons and eight times in his 10 years in charge.
They have the fullback to get them back into contention this year. Senior Logan Doty is the GWOC's returning leading rusher and vocal leader of the option offense. In front of him will be Ben McIlvain, who recently committed to FCS school Lafayette, heading the offensive line and a new quarterback in junior Reagan Heffner.
Kolby Wallace is one of the senior leaders of a defense that was one of the league's best last season. He is joined by a pair of solid defensive backs in Demetrius Winn and Connor Robinson.
"We had a lot of guys last year come in pretty late into the season," Doty said. "This year the guys have been here. A big difference in just team camaraderie and buy-in."
Fairmont Firebirds
2025 Record: 5-6 (5-2, t2nd), Division I regional first round
Coach: Dave Miller (11th year, 54-52)
League: GWOC
Need to know: Fairmont's tough luck of six losses by one score or fewer in 2025 is its longest stretch of close call defeats since seven such losses occurred from 1994-96.
Players to watch (2025 statistics)
Logan Doty, RB, 5-11, 200, sr. (208ATT, 1,157YDS, 8TD)
Josiah Hargrave, WR/DB, 6-2, 170, jr. (2REC, 15YDS, 1TKL)
Reagan Heffner, QB, 6-2, 185, jr. (3/5, 50YDS, 9ATT, 33YDS, 1TD)
Ben McIlvain, OL, 6-3, 255, sr.
Damien Pattin, RB, 5-10, 180, sr. (116ATT, 483YDS, 5TD)
Connor Robinson, DB, 5-9, 175, sr. (70TKL, 4TFL, 3PB)
Kolby Wallace, LB, 6-1, 185, sr. (73TKL, 3.5TFL)
Demetrius Winn, WR/DB, 5-7, 160, sr. (56TKL, 4.5 TFL, 3PB)
Schedule
Aug. 20 — Alter
Aug. 28 — at Trotwood
Sept. 4 — La Salle
Sept. 11 — Centerville
Sept. 18 — at Wayne
Sept. 25 — Miamisburg
Oct. 2 — at Northmont
Oct. 9 — Springboro
Oct. 16 — at Springfield
Oct. 23 — Beavercreek
Continue reading...
