SYRACUSE – Fairfield proved Friday night was no fluke. After dumping the No. 2 team in the state in a shocking win over NorthWood in the semi-finals, Fairfield kept its tournament jets burning Saturday night in a 59-49 win over West Noble in the championship game of the Class 3-A Wawasee Boys Basketball Sectional.

Luke Stephens, the hero in the semis, was the man again in Fairfield’s first sectional title as a member of Class 3-A. Stephens netted 29 points to lead the Falcons. The championship was the ninth in program history, and first under head coach Troy Beachy.

After West Noble took an 18-15 lead in the first quarter, then used a three from Nick Knepper to take a 42-41 lead entering the fourth quarter. But Stephens, who hit a three from the tourney bracket to end the half, came alive in the fourth and pushed the Falcons (13-12) to the Marion Regional next Saturday where it will play Fort Wayne Luers (17-7) at 10 a.m.

Cordell Hofer added 11 points and Shandon Miller eight points for the Falcons. Larry Nickolson, who willed West Noble (9-15) to the sectional championship game with a gutty performance against Wawasee in the semis, finished his career with 15 points. Knepper and Trevor Franklin each had 12 points.

Tipton (16-8) and New Haven (19-7) play in the second game of the regional. Fairfield has just one regional title, won in 2007 when it was a member of Class 2-A.