FAIRFIELD, Ohio -- Colerain coach Tom Bolden admits his back might be ailing a little bit Saturday morning.
But it's all for a good reason. Bolden enjoyed the postgame celebration with the Colerain fans Friday night after the visiting Cardinals defeated Fairfield 38-12.
"I don't mean that as any disrespect to Fairfield, but we work so dang hard at it, and if that ain't fun, you aren't alive," Bolden said. "That's some sweet stuff right there."
PHOTO GALLERY: Colerain 38, Fairfield 12
Colerain (6-2, 6-0 Greater Miami Conference) extended its GMC winning streak to 65 games since 2008.
"We've been in a lot of big games," Bolden said. "The first two at the beginning of the year (against La Salle and St. Xavier) helped us out a ton. I think it really helped us out tonight."
Colerain senior DB Ja'Von Hicks (#UC commit) on the 100-yard interception return for TD in 2Q. @WeAreColerain @GoBEARCATS @WCPO pic.twitter.com/CqiHokIc1U
— Mike Dyer (@MikeDyer) October 14, 2017
The Cardinals will be heavily favored the final two weeks of the regular season and likely add an 18th consecutive GMC title and fourth consecutive outright crown.
"We're playing real well," Colerain senior defensive back Ja'Von Hicks said. "Teams got to watch out and look out. We're coming."
Instead of getting caught up in any hype Friday night, the Cardinals showed why they are among the top teams in the state despite not being ranked in the Associated Press poll.
"They're just wired different," Bolden said. "We just work hard and have that expectation. We just do things a little bit different and in games like this it shows."
Colerain had 302 yards of total offense, including junior running back JJ Davis and junior Ivan Pace Jr. each scoring two touchdowns.
Hicks returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown on third down as time expired in the first half, which turned out to be a major turning point.
The 100-yard interception could be a school record, according to the Colerain coaching staff.
Hicks, a UC commit, wanted to redeem himself after he fumbled a punt return late in the second quarter. The result gave Colerain a 17-6 halftime lead.
"I was studying film, and coach told me that was their favorite route on goal-line, so I kind of sat there and didn't move," Hicks said. "The ball came straight to me and I made a play."
Colerain didn't take long to capitalize in the third quarter after receiving the ball in the second half.
Davis scored on a 61-yard run at the 10:40 mark to help give the Cardinals a 24-6 lead.
Colerain senior linebacker Daniel Bolden's interception late in the third quarter help set up a 27-yard touchdown run by junior Ivan Pace Jr. to help make it 31-6.
"We played so good in that second half," Daniel Bolden, who had nine tackles unofficially, said. "We were clicking on all cylinders."
Fairfield had a 6-3 lead after senior running back Taimar Boykin scored on a 4-yard touchdown run, but Fairfield coach Jason Krause said the Indians didn't play well as in the second half.
They added a touchdown late in the game when sophomore Juthan McClain caught 45-yard pass from junior Jeff Tyus. Boykin had 104 net yards rushing. Junior linebacker Del Thomas had a game-high 16 tackles.
Entering Friday, Fairfield (5-3, 5-1 GMC) was projected to be No. 3. The Indians are projected to make their third consecutive playoff appearance.
Fairfield plays at Mason Oct. 20. Krause said his team needs to improve going into next week.
"We can't hang our heads," Krause said. "They're a good football team -- we're a good football team. We got beat. We got to come back and battle tomorrow and get better."
