By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
BELOIT, Kan. — Fairfield High School will be represented by two players Saturday when Chase Combs and Brodie Snodgrass take the field during the Kansas Eight-Man Football Association all-star games at Trojan Stadium in Beloit.
Combs and Snodgrass were selected to the Division II West roster, which will face the Division II East at 1:30 p.m. The Division I game between the East and West squads is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m.
The two recent Fairfield graduates arrived in Beloit on Tuesday and have spent the week practicing with some of the top eight-man football players from across Kansas. Practices were scheduled Wednesday, Thursday and Friday ahead of Saturday’s games.
Combs said the players have worked through assignments on both sides of the ball while getting accustomed to a new group of teammates.
“We’ve been working a lot on linemen duties from the defensive and offensive side,” Combs said. “We’ve just been figuring out all of our assignments for the new plays on both sides of the ball. I think we’re doing pretty well learning all of our new stuff.”
Snodgrass said the practices have provided an opportunity to experience a competitive football environment one more time.
“These past few days have been great, just the energy out here, a lot of pop and pads,” Snodgrass said. “It’s just great football energy. Practice has been going great.”
Both players said they were excited when they learned they had been selected for the all-star game.
“It’s been a great experience from what I’ve heard, and it’s lived up to be a good experience,” Combs said. “You get to meet new people and play against the best players in the state, which will test your abilities. I’ve learned a lot about football since we’ve been here.”
Snodgrass said sharing the experience with his father has also made the week memorable.
“Me and my dad have always been into football, so it’s just a great experience that I was involved with this,” Snodgrass said.
The Fairfield duo will have a familiar face on the West sideline. Fairfield principal and coach Kyle Finder is serving as the Division II West offensive coordinator. Combs said the West squad is using the same offensive system Fairfield ran during the high school season.
“It means a lot to me, because he’s our head offensive coordinator up here at Beloit,” Combs said. “I think I’ll be playing quite a bit of offense, which is pretty nice, because we’re going to be running our same offense as we did back at Fairfield.”
Snodgrass said having a familiar coach around has helped make the transition easier.
“I’m glad he could be around here,” Snodgrass said. “A familiar face, a familiar coach. He’s a great help. I’m more comfortable talking to him, since he’s always been there. Just him being able to be here with us and being a part of the experience is super cool to me.”
Fairfield finished the 2025 season with a 4-5 record. Combs and Snodgrass were multi-sport athletes for the Falcons. Snodgrass recently capped his track and field season with a sixth-place finish in the Class 1A boys long jump with a mark of 21 feet, 4.5 inches.
The Falcons also sent two players to the all-star game last year, when Connor Fowler and Garrett Lanning competed for the Division II West squad. Combs said he and Snodgrass hope to continue representing the Fairfield football program well.
“Being the second two guys to be able to come up here has been a great accomplishment for us, because we knew how good they did,” Combs said. “We want to come up here and fill their shoes as well.”
Snodgrass said the opportunity is especially meaningful because both players have spent their entire school careers at Fairfield.
“Me and Chase, we’ve been here our whole lives, super attached to this school,” Snodgrass said. “Being able to be out here and represent the small school that we are feels great. I know there’s not a lot of opportunity for kids to do that.”
Combs said playing for Fairfield has helped the players understand the responsibility that comes with representing their community.
“Everybody has told us throughout this whole process that we represent our community while we’re up here in Beloit,” Combs said. “Every kid from every school represents their hometown.”
The Division II West squad has also set a lofty goal for Saturday’s game. Combs said the team hopes to rush for 500 yards, which would surpass the all-star game record.
“If we could get to that 500-yard rushing mark as a team, that would be a better accomplishment than a personal accomplishment,” Combs said.
Snodgrass agreed.
“That’d also be my personal goal, if you’d call it that,” Snodgrass said. “Just the goal with the whole team.”
The weekend schedule also includes a pep rally at 4 p.m. Friday at Chautauqua Park and a Friday Night Lights event at 8 p.m. at the Fort Hays Tech North Central gym. The Friday evening event will include a highlight video from the week.
Following graduation, Combs and Snodgrass both plan to attend Butler Community College in El Dorado. Combs plans to study farm and ranch management with hopes of returning to the family cattle operation and running his own business. Snodgrass plans to pursue a kinesiology-related field after spending considerable time around physical therapy during his athletic career.
“All throughout high school, I’ve been injured, and all kinds of things always end me up in the physical therapist,” Snodgrass said. “I feel like if I’ve been there already that much, I can make a career out of it.”