FAIRMONT — Last year’s Class AAA state football runner-up Fairmont’s 2019 season-opener literally proved to be a Raini Friday night at Mahoney Field.

Marshall senior tailback Gabe Raini, that is.

The 5-foot-9, 170-pound Raini utilized his elusive running style and uncanny balance to generate game-bests of 198 yards and four touchdowns on 19 carries to power the visiting Tigers to a 34-12 victory over the hometown Cardinals in Fairmont.

“He’s a great runner that’s difficult to bring down,” Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney said in reference to Raini.

It, however, took Marshall nearly the entire opening quarter to establish its powerful ground attack before Tigers head coach Terry Bahlmann used Raini as his primary offensive weapon for the final three frames.

Tigers quarterback Konnor Aufenthie’s 29-yard connection to split end Bryce Lance reached the Cardinals’ 2-yard line during the contest’s fourth series to set up the initial points of the season. Raini burst over the left side for the 2-yard TD before Hugo Cifuentes kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 2:15 remainining in the first quarter.

“First and foremost, I thought our guys did a great job of going toe-to-toe with a big, strong, physical team like Marshall tonight,” said Mahoney. “I’m proud of our effort, and now we have to carry that same work ethic into next week’s game at St. Peter.”

After future Iowa Hawkeyes lineman Yahya Black snuffed an ensuing Fairmont run and linebacker Tannyr Curry sacked Cardinal sophomore quarterback Zach Jorgensen for a 10-yard loss to force a punt on the next series, Raini needed only two touches to reach the end zone for the second time.

Marshall fullback Jordan Mernaugh’s 10-yard trap run up the middle placed the football at the Fairmont 11 before Raini blasted past the hometown secondary for six more points and a 13-0 lead with 10:27 left in the second quarter.

Jorgensen, however, displayed his mettle by utilizing his strong throwing arm to march the Cardinals to paydirt. Jorgensen zipped a 6-yarder to Cale Steuber before unloading a pivotal 44-yard strike to Blake Buntjer along the Tigers’ sideline to reach the visitors’ 29.

A targeting and personal foul penalty on Marshall later voided Tiger defensive back Austin Sommervold’s interception in the end zone, and set up the Cardinals at the 7. Caden Baarts outsprinted the Tigers’ secondary to the pylon on a reverse run to inch Fairmont within 13-6 at the 6:53 juncture.

Raini then broke a tackle attempt in the backfield, bulled up the middle and sprinted 63 yards for his third TD only 59 seconds later. Cifuentes’ PAT kick extended Marshall’s margin to 20-6.

Fairmont sophomore linebacker Gavin Rodning’s hard-nosed tackles-for-losses of yards later offset Sommervold’s interception on third-and-5 to force a needed Marshall punt.

Ironically, another personal foul infraction on Marshall negated Lance’s interception, and resulted in a 23-yard TD strike from Jorgensen to Buntjer on the very next snap to inch Fairmont within 20-12 with 16 seconds left before intermission.

“We were in contention until they put together that 9-minute scoring drive to open the third quarter. That series just took the wind out of our sails,” said Mahoney.

Bahlmann went with the ground-and-pound, producing a 17-play, 66-yard offensive march that was capped by Raini’s 3-yard scoring run. Cifuentes’ kick extended the Tigers’ lead to 27-12 with 3:09 left in the third.

Marshall linebacker Brayden Hilgemann then delivered a clutch quarterback sack to trigger a Fairmont punt, and the Tigers assembled an 11-play, time-consuming drive that covered 84 yards. Aufenthie scored on an 8-yard keeper with 7:57 left in regulation.

Jorgensen completed 11 of 19 passes for 140 yards and one TD in his varsity debut under center for the Cardinals. Buntjer made four catches for 81 yards and one score, while Steuber garnered four receptions for 43 yards.

Fairmont (0-1) hits the road to St. Peter next Friday night, while Marshall (1-0) plays host to Tri-City United on the turf at Southwest Minnesota State University.

Marshall 7-13-7-7–34

Fairmont 0-12-0-0–12

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

MAR–Gabe Raini 2 run (Hugo Cifuentes kick), 2:15.

2nd Quarter

MAR–Raini 11 run (kick failed), 10:27.

FHS–Caden Baarts 7 run (kick failed), 6:53.

MAR–Raini 63 run (Cifuentes kick), 5:54.

FHS–Blake Buntjer 23 pass from Zach Jorgensen, 0:16.

3rd Quarter

MAR–Raini 3 run (Cifuentes kick), 3:09.

4th Quarter

MAR–Konnor Aufenthie 8 run (Cifuentes kick), 7:57.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Marshall 18; Fairmont 8. Rushing: Marshall 48-298; Fairmont 18-(minus 22). Passing: Fairmont 14-23-1-178; Marshall 5-12-0-68. Fumbles-lost: Marshall 0-0; Fairmont 2-0. Penalties: Fairmont 6-44; Marshall 4-32.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Offense: Rushing: Raini (MAR) 19-198; Baarts (FHS) 1-7. Passing: Jorgensen (FHS) 11-19-1-140, Jack Hested (FHS) 2-3-0-15, Baarts (FHS) 1-1-0-23; Aufenthie (MAR) 5-12-0-68. Receiving: Buntjer (FHS) 4-81, Cale Steuber (FHS) 4-43; Bryce Lance (MAR) 2-39.

Defense: Interception: Austin Sommervold (MAR).