FAIRMONT — Fairmont offensive coordinator Brian Wille borrowed a page out of Cardinals’ football coaching legend Thomas Mahoney Sr.’s playbook to combat Friday night’s wintry elements.

Wille utilized the ground game for 52 of Class AAA No. 6-ranked Fairmont’s 65 offensive snaps to amass 300 yards and five touchdowns, while the Cardinals’ swarming defense held the Norwood Young America Raiders to 86 total yards.

Sophomore fullback Gavin Rodning churned out a game-best 87 yards and produced the first TD of his varsity career to power Fairmont to a 34-0 South Central Silver District rout over NYA at the football complex named after the legendary Mahoney.

“He’s been our workhorse for seven weeks this season and it was good to get him in the end zone tonight,” Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney said in reference to Rodning, who had generated 170 yards on 54 totes prior to the Week 7 clash in Fairmont.

Wille’s play-calling resembled Thomas Mahoney’s run-oriented style as the Cardinals’ three-pronged backfield attack of Rodning, quarterback Zach Jorgensen and flanker Caden Baarts combined for eight plays to cover 66 yards off the opening kickoff.

Rodning hammered out back-to-back double-digit runs of 11 and 12 yards, Jorgensen chipped in 13 of his 66 rushing yards on the game and Baarts capped the scoring drive with a 17-yard blast behind guard Jacob Rahn. Jack Hested’s PAT kick staked Fairmont to an 7-0 lead with 8:21 remaining in the first quarter.

“Overall, I thought our defense played lights out in both halves,” Mat Mahoney said in reference to defensive coordinator Brad Johnson’s unit allowing only 65 yards on the ground and just 21 through the air. “Any time you limit a team to less than 100 yards, that’s impressive. Hats off to our defense for that performance.”

Tackle Josh Heinze then spearheaded the Cardinals’ air-tight defensive performance by holding ground on NYA’s fourth-and-3 conversion attempt from the Fairmont 20.

Jorgensen connected on spirals to Blake Bunter, a quick 13-yard out, and a 5-yarder to Cale Steuber to reach the Raiders’ red zone. After NYA defensive back Bryce Homan dropped Baarts for a three-yard loss on a low direct snap, Baarts sprinted around left end for a 22-yard score. Hested’s PAT kick doubled the Cardinals’ lead to 14-0.

Linebacker Kody Johnson scooped up Fairmont’s fumble at the NYA 5 to halt the home team’s methodical march downfield before the Cardinals’ trio of Hudson Artz, Heinze and Rodning delivered smothering defense to keep the Raiders in the shadow of their own end zone.

After a 12-yard NYA punt, Steuber took Jorgensen’s toss around left end and coasted into the end zone on a 15-yard run to extend the Cardinals’ lead to 20-0 wth 43 seconds remaining in the first half.

Fairmont defensive end Wyatt Frank intercepted an NYA screen pass only to see Raiders’ defensive tackle Sean Franck counter by pouncing on a Cardinals’ fumble late in the third quarter.

Heinze later scooped up a fumble created by teammate Jacob Roberts’ pad-jarring hit on the Raiders’ 15 before Jorgensen capped the five-play march with a 1-yard keeper with only 19 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

Rodning finally recorded the first varsity TD of his young career on a 10-yard twisting, tackle-breaking run over the right side. The scoring play capped Fairmont’s 12-play, 78-yard march to paydirt that included a 20-yard scamper by reserve quarterback Jack Hested.

Baarts recovered the ensuing squib kickoff to help erase the final 6 minutes of regulation.

Baarts finished with 61 yards and two more TDs on just seven carries, while Artz netted 44 yards on three totes. Homan generated a team-best 50 yards on 16 carries for NYA (0-7).

Fairmont (6-1, 4-0 district) looks to lock up the first-ever South Central Silver District championship when it travels to Arlington on Wednesday night for a 7 p.m. game with Sibley East during both teams’ final contest of the regular season.

NYA 0 0 0 0 — 0

FHS 7 13 7 7 — 34

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

FHS–Caden Baarts 17 run (Jack Hested kick), 8:21.

2nd Quarter

FHS–Baarts 22 run (Hested kick), 6:40.

FHS–Cale Steuber 15 run (kick failed), 0:43.

3rd Quarter

FHS–Zach Jorgensen 1 run (Hested kick), 0:22.

4th Quarter

FHS–Gavin Rodning 10 run (Hested kick), 6:45.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Fairmont 19; NYA 5. Rushing: Fairmont 52-300; NYA 29-65. Passing: Fairmont 8-13-0-73: NYA 4-13-1-21. Fumbles-lost: Fairmont 5-2; NYA 2-2. Penalties: Fairmont 5-50; NYA 1-10.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Offense: Rushing: FHS: Rodning 22-87, Jorgensen 10-66, Baarts 7-61, Hudson Artz 3-44. NYA: Bryce Homan 16-50. Passing: Jorgensen (F) 8-12-0-73; Noah Strickfaden (NYA) 4-13-1-21. Receiving: Steuber (F) 4-23, Blake Buntjer (F) 2-26, Baarts (F) 1-22; Charlie Steinhagen (NYA) 1-16.

Defense: Interception: Wyatt Frank (F). Fumble recoveries: Kody Johnson (NYA), Sean Franck (NYA), Josh Heinze (F), Baarts (F).