Brian Mack for The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
La Salle linebacker Colin Wooldridge eyes the opponent during the Fairmont vs. La Salle football game Friday, Sept. 5, 2025, at La Salle High School.
Kettering, Ohio’s Fairmont Firebirds picked up a 27-0 victory over Greater Western Ohio Conference rival Northmont on Friday night to move to 3-4 on the season. But it’s how they picked up the victory that is turning heads.
Fairmont, which had been on a two-game losing streak entering the game against the Thunderbolts, jumped out to a 14-0 lead in the first half despite not receiving the opening kick.
They then received the second-half kickoff … and proceeded to possess the ball for all 24 minutes of the second half, without the benefit of a running clock.
Maybe the most stunning thing I’ve watched in a football game replay:
Northmont ran ZERO offensive plays in the second half against Fairmont on Friday. The Firebirds held the ball all 24 minutes of game time.
Without a running clock! Fairmont won 27-0. Here are the drive charts: pic.twitter.com/RXXqKlduKm— Steven Wright (@Steven_Wright_) October 3, 2026
How Did Ohio High School Football Team Hold Ball For Entire Second Half
Thanks to Steven Wright of the Dayton Daily News, we have a description of how exactly the Firebirds pulled off the seemingly impossible feat of high school football brilliance.
It began with them receiving the second-half kickoff and going on a 19-play, 71-yard drive that spanned all 12 minutes of the fourth quarter and then some. The drive included a pair of fourth-down conversions, a penalty, and eventually, a 5-yard touchdown pass from Reagan Heffner to Daivon Porter.
Fairmont then recovered an onside kick and marched 46 yards in five minutes and 53 seconds, capping the drive with a 1-yard Damien Pattin touchdown run.
– 19 plays, 71 yards, 12:04 (2 4th down conversions, 1 penalty) – TD
Onside recovery
– 9 plays, 46 yards, 5:53 – TD
Onside recovery
– 9 plays, 41 yards, 6:03 – kneeled at Northmont 5The entire half took 39 minutes in real time.
I kept game clock by hand, was not on screen. pic.twitter.com/FtowDcpIR8— Steven Wright (@Steven_Wright_) October 3, 2026
Surely, up 27-0 at that point, the Firebirds would just kick the ball deep, right?
Nope, instead, they recovered another onside kick and ran out the final six minutes and three seconds of the game, ending it with a kneel-down on the Northmont 5-yard line.
According to Wright, the entire second half took 39 minutes in real time. Fairmont finished with 35 minutes and 12 seconds of possession, compared to just 12:48 for Northmont.
Some might call the last onside kick rubbing it in. We call it a work of art.