Fairfax Making Positive Strides

Shane Cox will not venture to predict when the Fairfax High football team will win a game.

As the Lions’ first-year coach, Cox is still learning about his 41 players, nearly half of whom are playing the sport for the first time.

“I don’t know when it’s going to be, but we’re going to win,” Cox said. “This is a great group of kids. They’re working hard, learning and growing as players every day.”

Fairfax’s losing streak grew to 36 games Friday when the Lions were defeated by Marshall, 17-0, at Marshall.

Based on flashes displayed in the Lions’ performance, however, the longest losing streak in the state will end sooner than later. The state record for most consecutive losses is 46, set by Moorpark from 1977-82.

Cox, 30, and his staff of five volunteer assistants have infused Fairfax’s program with a sense of enthusiasm and pride that was evident in the faces and actions of the players, who battled from start to finish.

“It’s a completely different attitude this year--we’re dedicated and so are all of the coaches,” junior quarterback Richard Post said. “We didn’t play as well as we can today. We still need to work on some things. But we’re getting better.”

Marshall (1-1) scored its first touchdown with 4:38 left in the first quarter on a five-yard run by Art Alvarez. The six-play, 29-yard drive was set up when Mario Bautista intercepted a pass by Post.

Marshall put the game away by scoring twice in less than two minutes midway through the fourth quarter.

Fullback Donatis Dargis, who gained 85 yards in 12 carries, broke off consecutive runs of 20, 19 and 10 yards to set up Napo Solarzano’s 34-yard field goal with 7:40 left.

Post fumbled on the ensuing possession and Marshall’s Issac Daldalyan recovered at the Fairfax nine yard-line.

Eric Rodriguez ran the ball in from one yard out three plays later to give the Barristers a 17-0 lead with 5:04 left.