FAIRFIELD, Ohio — Friday's Greater Miami Conference showdown at Fairfield Alumni Stadium will feature two quarterbacks who are no strangers to success and each other.
Lakota West senior Mitch Bolden has thrown for a conference-leading 1,293 yards while Fairfield junior Talon Fisher has rushed for a conference-leading 884 yards.
"We're both having a great season," Fisher said. "I hope we put a show on for these people this Friday night."
Lakota West (7-0, 6-0 GMC), ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press Division I state poll, plays at Fairfield (6-1, 5-1) in what is expected to be a capacity crowd (5,500) Friday night during homecoming weekend. It is the WCPO game of the week, too.
Fairfield athletic director Aaron Blankenship said the school has added additional seating to the stadium in order to accommodate a large crowd.
"I think it will be a great atmosphere," Fairfield coach Jason Krause said. "I think it's going to be a packed house."
Bolden and Fisher have known each other going back to their days at Colerain Middle School and the two have remained friends ever since.
"I feel like we both have a great competitive edge," Fisher said. "I feel like we both want to win and I think that shows on both of our stats and both of our winning records right now."
Talon's father, Jonathan Fisher, previously coached with Tom Bolden, Mitch's father, at Colerain High School for a number of years.
"My dad and him coached together for 13 years at Colerain," Fisher said. "They're great friends. All love there. They're great people."
Fischer, a three-year starter, and Bolden, a four-year starter, are dual threats who have led their teams atop the GMC standings.
Fisher was 12 of 19 passing for a season-high 222 yards and three touchdowns in a 34-13 win at Hamilton last week. He also rushed 17 times for 123 yards and a touchdown. Fisher has thrown for 916 yards this season.
"He threw it pretty well Friday night," Krause said. "It's kind of funny — he wore No. 18 instead of No. 8. I said before the game, 'Maybe you will throw it like Peyton (Manning) tonight.' Obviously, he threw it much better. Three touchdown passes out of him was a huge effort; that means a lot to our offense."
Lakota West coach Tom Bolden said the quarterbacks have a great deal of respect for each other. The two are known for playing with a similar physical style reminiscent of a linebacker; they're not reluctant to run the football.
"Talon is just a tremendous athlete," Tom Bolden said. "We're going to have to account for him for sure."
Mitch Bolden, who is 33-6 as a starter, has thrown for 17 touchdowns. He's rushed for nearly 300 yards and four touchdowns.
Bolden was 15 of 21 passing for 258 yards and four touchdowns in a 37-7 win over visiting Mason last week.
"Obviously Mitch Bolden is a really good football player," Krause said. "He's a guy that you got to take care of with his feet and his arm. He's a true dual-threat guy."
Both teams will rely on the star quarterbacks with plenty at stake in the GMC and in the Division I, Region 4 playoff computer points standings.
"I think it's going to come down to who plays clean football," said Krause. "You know penalties and turnovers and not getting behind chains. And being able to stay ahead of the sticks. Being able to stay on track with your offense. And big plays — we can't give up any big plays."
