MONTGOMERY — Fairmont’s defense created early offensive opportunities, and the Cardinals’ balanced four-pronged ground game and modified air attack piled up the points.

Caden Baarts pocketed two of Fairmont’s five interceptions from his cornerback position and scored touchdowns on his only two carries on offense to help engineer the Cardinals’ 41-0 South Central Silver District triumph over the Tri-City United Titans on Friday night in Montgomery.

“After four weeks, we finally got off to a fast start offensively,” said Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney, whose high-octane offensive unit had not scored a point in the opening quarter of its three previous games.

After 6-foot-8 defensive end Wyatt Frank’s quarterback sack forced a TCU punt during the district contest’s initial possession, flanker Hudson Artz utilized his track speed to reel off a 14-yard sprint off a first-down toss.

Quarterback Zach Jorgensen then lofted a perfect 38-yard spiral to receiver Blake Buntjer to reach the Titans’ 15-yard line only one snap later. Jorgensen then weaved, dodged, cut and sprinted to the end zone on the ensuing keeper to stake the Cardinals to a 6-0 lead with 7:40 remaining in the first quarter.

After trading punts with TCU, Fairmont defensive back Eli Anderson pocketed the first of his two interceptions on the game and his 36-yard return put the Cardinals’ offense in business at the home team’s 14.

Fairmont then scored during its next three possessions to build a 27-0 lead by intermission.

“Turnovers. Our defense did a nice job of producing five interceptions to create a short field for our offense,” said Mahoney.

Two plays later, Jorgensen flipped a 6-yard TD pass to Cale Steuber before Jack Hested kicked the PAT for a 13-0 margin with 2:27 left in the first frame.

Baarts then garnered his first pick of the district game at his own 45 before Artz took Jorgensen’s toss out of the backfield and motored 35 yards around the right end. Jorgensen later lofted a 13-yard pass to Frank, who outjumped the TCU secondary for the TD reception. Hested’s PAT kick widened the gap to 20-0 with 38 seconds left in the first quarter.

After Artz and defensive tackles Jacob Rahn and Josh Heinze forced another Titans’ punt during the early stages of the second quarter, Steuber delivered a clutch 30-yard punt return to reach the TCU 20.

Baarts then juked a defender out of the wildcat formation and sprinted 18 yards to paydirt for his first score of the game. Hested’s kick made it 27-0 with 8:50 left in the second quarter.

Steuber and Eli Anderson then slammed the brakes on a couple of TCU’s second-quarter drives by intercepting Titans’ starting quarterback Adam Fredrickson before halftime.

Mahoney gave his first-team offense one series to open the third quarter, and Jorgensen & Co. needed only four snaps to reach the end zone.

After Tanner Rosch alertly scooped up TCU’s onside kickoff at the 43, Fairmont running back Gavin Rodning reeled off 38 of his 55 rushing yards by bursting through the right side of the line before getting caught from behind at the 17.

Jorgensen then lofted a 6-yard strike to Tyson Kube before Baarts sprinted the final 11 yards around the right end for his second TD of the night en route to a 34-0 lead with 10:10 left in the third quarter.

Baarts’ second pick created a scoring opportunity for running back Noah Nelson and the Cardinals’ second offensive unit. Nelson capped the scoring march with an 11-yard run at the 2:52 juncture of the third period.

Artz generated 76 yards on four touches to top a Fairmont ground game that amassed 254 yards, while Rodning and Nelson finished with 55 and 54 rushing yards, respectively. Jorgensen completed 7 of 12 passes for 71 yards and two more scores.

Rodning, Artz, Heinze and the Cardinals’ defense held the Titans to 114 total yards, including just 22 on the ground.

“Now it’s back to work to get prepared for Luverne,” said Mahoney.

Fairmont (3-1, 1-0 district) travels to Luverne next Friday night, while TCU (0-4) hits the road to Arlington to face Sibley East.

Fairmont 20 7 14 0 – 41

TCU 0 0 0 0 – 0

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

FMT-Zach Jorgensen 15 run (kick failed), 7:40.

FMT-Cale Steuber 6 pass from Jorgensen (Jack Hested kick), 2:27.

FMT-Wyatt Frank 13 pass from Jorgensen (Hested kick), 0:38.

2nd Quarter

FMT-Caden Baarts 18 run (Hested kick), 8:50.

3rd Quarter

FMT-Caden Baarts 11 run (Hested kick), 10:10.

FMT-Noah Nelson 11 run (Hested kick), 2:52.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Fairmont 10; TCU 7. Rushing: Fairmont 34-254; TCU 23-22. Passing: Fairmont 8-13-0-82; TCU 9-23-5-92. Fumbles-lost: Fairmont 1-1; TCU 1-1. Penalties: TCU 10-50; Fairmont 3-25.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Offense: Rushing: Hudson Artz (F) 4-76, Gavin Rodning (F) 9-55, Nelson (F) 9-54; Kayden Factor (TCU) 9-27. Passing: Jorgensen (F) 7-12-0-71, Jack Hested (F) 1-1-0-11; Gabe Robinson (TCU) 5-6-0-55, Adam Fredrickson (TCU) 4-17-5-37. Receiving: Blake Buntjer (F) 1-38, Tyson Kube (F) 2-17; Riece Narum (TCU) 3-33, Brandon Balma (TCU) 2-29.

Defense: Interceptions: Eli Anderson (F) 2, Baarts (F) 2, Steuber (F). Fumble recovery: Factor (TCU).