DEFENDING CHAMPS — Members of the two-time Section 3AAA football champion Fairmont Cardinals kicking off the season by traveling to Montgomery on Thursday night for a 7 p.m. game against Tri-City United include, front row (left to right): Macklain Anderson, Jacob Wiemers, Hunter Sommer, Kain Grandgenett, Dayton Draper, assistant coach Jesse Walters, offensive coordinator Brian Wille, head coach Mat Mahoney, defensive coordinator Brad Johnson, assistant coach Dave Shoen, assistant coach Tyler Bitting, Isaac Taplin, Ryan Szafryk, Elijah Johnson and Jaron Schutz. 2nd row: John Fernandez, Merritt Pomerenke, Dakota Wiley, Joe Long, Devon Szafryk, Levi Pooley, Taylor Austin, Connor Gronewald, Caleb Chambers, Kellen Stenzel, Tavian Harvey, Charles Neusch, Jordan Thompson, Benet Mathiason and Harlie Fletcher. 3rd row: Ethan Siebring, Parker Mathiason, Hunter Johnson, Tyson Thate, Andres Rodas, Ty Tumbleson, Mathew Martin, Tyler Bicknase, Cole Wiemers, Jace Teveldal, Caine Gronewold, Hadan Toomer, Jake Ehlert and Seth Siebring. 4th row: Mathew Cone, Joseph Hackett, Nolan Schultze, Nolan Hansen, Cole Brockmann, Dakota Madias, Gage Borntrager, Hank Artz and Ethan Geerdes. Back row: Blaze Geiger, Jacob Singleton, David Miller, Ian Hatfield, Oliver Tordsen, Trevor Maakestad, Reece Buntjer, Lucas Rosburg, Nolan Anderson and Brett Williams. (Photo by Greg Abel)
FAIRMONT — Back-to-back-to-back Class AAA state football bids.
Fairmont mentor Mat Mahoney, along with his Cardinal coaching staff and prep gridders, have their collective sights set on achieving a rare trifecta this fall.
Mahoney enters his 17th season at Fairmont’s helm in a tie for the 51st-best win total (116) among active Minnesota high school football coaches.
The 2022 Cardinals produced a 10-3 overall record by earning the program’s second consecutive state bid that culminated in a trip to the Class AAA semifinals on the turf at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis last November.
Fairmont gained the state quarterfinals en route to a 9-2 mark during the 2021 campaign.
Ironically, Mahoney duplicated the unique feat of back-to-back state appearances last fall after his Cardinals first achieved the rarity in 2017 and 2018.
If Fairmont goes on to win the seventh sectional championship of Mahoney’s tenure this fall, he would become the program’s only football mentor to merit three state berths in a row.
“I’m still 140 wins from catching my grandfather,” a grinning Mat Mahoney said in reference to legendary coach and Minnesota prep football pioneer Thomas Mahoney Sr. “I know it sounds cliche, but my coaching staff and I truly take the approach of just trying to get our players better one day a time, one week at a time and one game at a time.”
Offensive coordinator Brian Wille’s pro-style scheme returns both its leading pass catcher and scorer in senior wideout Levi Pooley and No. 1 rusher in junior Elijah Johnson, in addition to a senior quarterback — Blaze Geiger — who gained quality playing time as the backup signal-caller last year.
The 5-foot-11, 185-pound Pooley — the Fairmont Sentinel’s All-Area co-player of the year — made a team-best 52 catches for 811 yards and 13 touchdowns en route to a team-leading 90 points scored in 2022.
The 5-foot-9, 200-pound Johnson pounded out a team-high 628 rushing yards and four TDs in a pass-first offense, while the 6-1, 170-pound Geiger displayed his dual skills by throwing for 114 yards and two scores to complement gaining 100 yards on the ground in limited duty.
“This will be his third year as a varsity starter, and every team we play knows how athletic and reliable he is,” Mahoney said in reference to Pooley. “We will try to be more balanced this season, and having EJ and Blaze coming out of the backfield as legitimate running threats will help take some of our opponents’ focus off of Pooley.
“That will allow Brian (Wille), who does a great job of coaching to our players’ strengths, to attack opposing defenses from all kinds of different angles and formations, and that’ll be tough to stop.”
Wille will utilize a completely retooled offensive line in tackles Oliver Tordsen and Reece Buntjer, guards Jake Singleton and Ivan Martin, along with the center tandem of Ty Bicknase and Jake Ehlert to create running room and provide pass protection this fall.
Junior Hank Artz will deliver blocks from his fullback position, senior Ethan Geerdes returns to the tight end spot, while junior Nolan Schultze will line up in his familiar spot at wideout after gaining key varsity minutes in 2022.
But Fairmont won’t rely solely on its high-octane offense as long-time defensive coordinator Brad Johnson and his rebuilt 5-2 base alignment will create havoc from sideline to sideline for opponents this campaign.
“Brad’s defensive front is not only strong and physical, but it’s athletic and versatile enough to jump in and out of fronts without changing much in the form of personnel,” said Mahoney. “As always, he’ll do a great job of assembling all the right pieces in the right spots.”
Pooley and the 6-2, 240-pound Artz also will spearhead the Cardinals’ defense after Pooley topped the secondary with six interceptions — including a pair of pick-6s — while Artz notched a team-best six quarterback sacks to complement 81 tackles and two fumble recoveries — including one for a TD — from his defensive line spot.
Artz will create pressure from an end position this season, while Geerdes and 6-5, 185-pound senior Gage Borntrager will handle the duties on the opposite side.
The hard-hitting tandem of senior tackle Parker Mathiason (5-11, 220) and senior nose guard Tyson Thate (6-0, 230) will provide power in the heart of the front line, with 6-0, 270-pound sophomore Mathew Martin and 6-1, 240-pound senior Dakota Madias helping push back opposing offensive blockers at the other inside tackle spot.
Junior Caleb Chambers will reunite with Elijah Johnson at linebacker to supply sure-handed tackling, with Pooley and senior Connor Gronewald anchoring the secondary from the safety positions. Junior Hadan Toomer, junior Jaron Schutz and Nolan Schultze will handle the corner spots to round out the defense.
“Pooley and Hank will likely be our only two-way starters because of their overall impact, both physically and mentally, that they bring to the field,” said Mahoney. “We’re so close to having 20 of our 22 starters be one-way starters, which will not only help in games in the long run, but also in practice.
“We will only get better having the No. 1s on offense practicing against the No. 1s on defense every day.”
Fairmont will take aim at a third consecutive state bid against the newly-realigned eight-team sectional field that consists of Albert Lea, Belle Plaine, Jordan, Luverne, Tri-City United, Waseca and Worthington.
The Cardinals kick off the season by traveling to Montgomery to face sectional opponent Tri-City United at 7 p.m. Thursday night before playing host to Belle Plaine in their home-opener at 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, at Mahoney Field in Fairmont.
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