Anaconda QB Ryder Anderson (No. 6), left, looks to get to the edge early in the Copperheads’ home football opener, a 48-12 loss to Fairfield on Friday, Sept. 4 at Mitchell Stadium. Anaconda Weekly Review photo by James S. Rosien.
By James S. Rosien
Anaconda Weekly Review publisher
Football is back, and that goes for the Copperheads, who are looking to reload under third-year head coach Dan Lacey after a stellar 2025 campaign that saw the ‘Heads return to the postseason for the first time in a decade. The schedulers must’ve taken notice, as Anaconda’s 2026 season is front-loaded: first with perennial contender Manhattan for the opener (a 36-6 loss on Aug. 28 in Manhattan); followed up by their playoff opponent from a decade prior, Fairfield, for their home opener (a 48-12 loss on Sept. 4); and now it’s on to Loyola-Sacred Heart in Missoula on Friday, Sept. 11.
Don’t let that Fairfield score fool you, however, because while the second half certainly got away from Anaconda as the weather turned sour, the first half was a close-fought battle right up until just before the clock hit quadruple-zeroes – and though it wasn’t on the level of what Western Michigan would witness the following day, it wasn’t without controversy of its own.
But before we get there, we have to begin at the beginning, a beginning that saw both teams go nowhere on their opening drives as Fairfield and Anaconda traded punts – and then the ‘Heads traded another punt by the Eagles for an arm punt by junior QB Ryder Anderson.
That, too, would result in a drive ended by a punt by the visitors, and this time the home team got on the move – and took advantage of a miscue by their opponent. Senior TE/RB Gillie Everett rushed for five yards, then was forced back for a loss of one, and an offensive offsides penalty made it 3rd down and 10. Anderson’s pass went fell incomplete so the ‘Heads punted away, but the Eagles mishandled the ball and sophomore OL/DL Crosby Everett recovered it for Anaconda on Fairfield’s 34-yard line.
Though 1st-and-10 turned into 1st-and-20 for the ‘Heads due to a holding penalty on a QB keeper, Anderson stepped up on the next play and found junior WR Carson Lacey for a gain of 13 – and on the very next play heaved a pass downfield over the heads of three defenders to connect with sophomore TE Bodhi Keeland for a 30-yard touchdown with 26 seconds left on the clock. The point-after was blocked, but even so the ‘Heads led the Eagles 6-0.
That’s where the score would remain after the first quarter, though unfortunately for the home team it wouldn’t be for long. After closing out the quarter with an 11-yard gain on the ground, Fairfield started the second frame with an 8-yard carry. The ‘Heads stuffed the Eagles for a loss of a yard on second down, but on 3rd-and-3 Fairfield QB Brock Peace hit TE Sloan Giles for a 50-yard TD to even the score – and then take the lead as the point-after was good and Fairfield went up 7-6 with 11:16 remaining in the first half.
The ‘Heads would start their next drive at their own 25, but that would only turn into great field position for Fairfield as Anderson’s pass on first down looked to be headed right for Keeland, but an Eagles defender nabbed it out of the air and returned it to Anaconda’s 30.
The Copperhead D held Fairfield to no gain on their first-down run, but another run on second down went for 16 and the Eagles were in the red zone. It looked like the tables soon would quickly be turned though, as after a 4-yard run on first down, Peace’s pass was deflected by sophomore linebacker Gus Johnson and nearly picked off by freshman DB Owen Arthur, forcing a third down.
Yet the Eagles continued to see success on the ground, running the ball down to the 4-yard line and it was 1st and goal to go. AHS nearly had another pick on the drive, this time by junior linebacker Reid Maes, so it was back to the ground and pound as Fairfield RB Robert Preston punched it in for a 4-yard touchdown with 9 minutes left until the half. The PAT was successful and now the scoreboard read Eagles 14, Copperheads 6.
It wouldn’t be long before the ‘Heads got back on the board, however, and in dramatic fashion. Lacey took the ensuing kickoff to Anaconda’s 33-yard line, then after Gillie Everett rushed for no gain and Anderson’s pass on second down fell incomplete, the home team was looking for a prayer – and that prayer would be answered.
Anderson launched a moon ball to senior WR Owen Pesanti, and though Fairfield’s defenders stretched their arms out to pick it off, the ball fell right past them and into the waiting arms of Pesanti, who gathered it in and hustled down to the end zone for a 67-yard touchdown as AHS was now in a spot to tie the game. The 2-point conversion attempt was no good, but that still left it at 2-point game at 14-12 with 7:58 remaining in the half.
Intent on regaining their two-possession lead, Fairfield took the ensuing kickoff out to their own 44 and might well have taken it to the house, but junior WR/DB Kaydon Strutzel came up with a big tackle from behind to prevent that.
The Eagles immediately went back to their ground game with a 10-yard run on first down, but a botched snap backed them up to their own 46-yard line on the ensuing first down. A run attempt on second down went for nothing, and on third down those almost-INTs from earlier in the game finally turned into an actual INT as fellow junior WR/DB Rory Cromwell picked Peace off to set the ‘Heads up at their own 35-yard line.
Unfortunately for the home team they would then go three-and-out as an incompletion on first down was followed by a holding penalty and a sack on second down, with Everett rushing for 4 on 3rd-and-29 to give a bit of breathing room for the punting unit.
This time Fairfield fielded the punt cleanly and they were back in business at their own 45. A first-down run went for 8 yards, and a second-down carry by Preston brought the ball all the way down to the Anaconda 15. Each of the Eagles’ next three plays went for five-yard chunks, one on the ground and two in the air, with Peace finding Giles for another score. The PAT was good, and now the visitors led 21-12 with 2:53 still to play in the half.
The ‘Heads weren’t licked yet though, and even after Lacey’s kickoff return to the 29 got called back for holding the home team went on the march. Pesanti caught a four-yard pass on first down, and after a second-down pass fell incomplete Anderson connected with Cromwell out to the 32-yard line for a new set of downs.
Anderson then found Lacey for a nine-yard gain, then after Gillie Everett ran for a loss of a yard and faced was another third down, the junior QB once again connected with Lacey for a first down out to midfield.
A false start penalty on the ensuing first down backed Anaconda up a bit, but then on 1st-and-15 the Eagles came down with a pick over the middle and brought it back to the AHS 31 with 46 seconds left.
Fairfield got right back into the red zone on their first play of the possession with a pass down to the 12, but senior DL Rett Nicholes came up with a huge sack on the next play, setting up a 2nd-and-18 with 30 seconds left that turned into a 2nd-and-28 with a holding penalty on the Eagles.
Peace narrowly avoided a sack by Keeland on second down by pitching a backward lateral to WR Saber Allen, but Allen couldn’t corral it and the ball rolled loose and it appeared that Crosby Everett fell onto it for what would’ve been his second fumble recovery. No fumble was signaled, however, and Fairfield retained possession with a two-yard gain on the play.
Now facing 3rd-and-26 with seven seconds remaining, Peace and Allen connected this time and the play went the distance as the Eagles scored with the clock reading all zeroes. The PAT was good, the scoreboard now read 28-12, and though Anaconda would start the second half with the ball they now were down 16 instead of 9.
Even so it was still a two-possession game. Lacey took the opening kick of the second half out to the Anaconda 27 and, after an incompletion and a two-yard run by Gillie Everett, Anderson again found Lacey for a seven-yard gain, setting AHS up with 4th-and-1. It looked like Anaconda would go for it, but instead they attempted to draw Fairfield offsides. The Eagles weren’t biting, however, and the ‘Heads took the delay of game penalty.
A hard count on the following 4th-and-6 led to what looked like a jump by Fairfield, which would’ve again brought up the fourth-and-a-yard situation, but the ‘Heads were called for the false start instead and that was the end of that series. Anaconda’s punt looked like it may have been touched downfield by an Eagles player, but instead it was downed at Fairfield’s 38.
The football gods though were intent on AHS getting the ball back, as the Eagles coughed it up on first down and Anaconda took over at midfield – but maybe the football gods were simply intent on causing chaos, as the exact same thing happened on the following play, only vice-versa.
The Copperhead D continued to hold on, coming up with a stop on third down after gains of 4 and 2 on first and second, but a fourth-down carry by RB Colter Kline also went the distance. The kick was good and the Eagles led 35-12 with 7:44 remaining in the third quarter.
And that would effectively be that. The ‘Heads went three-and-out on their next possession while Fairfield’s next drive went five plays for 48 yards and a TD run by Giles at 4:21 left in the third.
The ‘Heads again went three-and-out while Fairfield’s drive closed out the quarter, and at 10:42 left in the game the Eagles scored on a run by Preston. The PAT attempt doinked off the upright, however, so the score was now 48-12 with a running clock to send the crowd home early on what would turn out to be a chilly evening for early September.
Anaconda’s final possession saw some excitement with Cromwell returning the kickoff to the AHS 44, and then continuing with 15 yards on the ground over the next two plays. Anderson and Lacey connected on a 4-yard pass, but a fumble on the next play ended any thoughts of more points on the board.
Fairfield and Anaconda both went four-and-out on their next possessions – though there was still time left for a bit of excitement and a little déjà vu on the final play, as Anderson again heaved one 40 yards downfield looking for Pesanti, but it was just a bit beyond his reach.
Anaconda will be on the road for their next game as they’ll travel to Missoula to face Loyola-Sacred Heart on Friday, Sept. 11 with kickoff set for 7 p.m. The ‘Heads earned their first-ever win over the Rams on the gridiron last year, so Anaconda will be looking for their second such victory and their first W of the season while Loyola will be looking to settle the score.
Copperhead Football will be back at home for Homecoming next week as Anaconda will host Thompson Falls on Friday, Sept. 18 for a 6 p.m. kickoff. Check back in with us next week for more information about Homecoming.
Also, Anaconda Junior High School’s football season starts Tuesday, Sept. 8 as Anaconda will host Townsend, with kickoff set for 4 p.m. at Mitchell Stadium.
Fairfield 48, Anaconda 12
FHS 0 28 14 6 48
AHS 6 6 0 0 12
