FAIRMONT — Fairmont’s five starters and top two reserves all contributed solid numbers to engineer the Cardinals’ 38-21 halftime lead Tuesday night and then never looked back.

Zach Jorgensen collected solid all-around numbers of 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals, Carter Bell scorched the Cardinal Gym nylon cords for 15 points, Wyatt Frank netted a double-double performance of 13 points and a game-high 15 boards, while Jack Hested chipped in 10 points to pace Fairmont’s 67-55 Big South Conference win over the Worthington Trojans.

“I’d say we played the first half the best we have all season,” said Fairmont head coach Jared Thompson, whose lineup outrebounded the Trojans by plus-4, made 16 of 29 overall field goals and committed just five turnovers during the opening 18 minutes. “Zach really turned in a great overall game tonight and knew when and when not to attack the basket.”

Clinging to an early 4-3 lead, Jorgensen did exactly what Thompson said — drove through traffic in the lane for a leaner, nailed a top-of-key 3-pointer off a Frank kickout pass and then spotted Carson Toomer for a runner for an eight-point gap.

Will Brandner’s putback basket later kept the Trojans’ deficit at eight at 23-15, but Jorgensen and Hested delivered the key damage behind the Cardinals’ ensuing 11-0 surge late in the first half.

Hested snapped the nets on one of his three trifectas off a Toomer pass, Jorgensen drove the lane for two, Caden Baarts hit a baseline leaner, Jorgensen turned playmaker with a dish to Frank in the low post and Jorgensen capped Fairmont’s 34-15 lead with a cutter off a Joey Flohrs assist at the 3:22 juncture.

After Frank and Jorgensen equally combined to reel off an 8-0 pivotal run 4 minutes into the second half to build the Cardinals’ lead to 51-29, Terbuto Ochothow served as the catalyst behind the Trojans’ ensuing 13-5 surge to close within 14.

Bell, however, proved worthy of the Worthington challenge.

“Worthington made two runs at us late in the second half, and Carter and Jack each responded well with a pair of clutch 3s,” said Thompson.

Bell, who went 6-for-7 from the field, snapped the cords on a right-corner 3 off a Hested assist to slam the brakes on the Trojans’ efficient run at the 5:21 mark.

Ochothow, who nearly reached double-double territory by scoring a game-best 23 points to go with nine rebounds, connected on four consecutive free throws to pull Worthington within 13 only to see Hested match Bell by burying his third 3-pointer of the game to restore a 16-point edge with 2:55 to go.

Brock Bruns collected 15 points, nine rebounds and three steals for the Trojans.

Fairmont (6-4) travels to Class AA No. 2-ranked Waseca on Thursday night, while Worthington (5-8) hits the road to Windom Area.

Worthington 21-34–55

Fairmont 38-29–67

FAIRMONT (67)

Frank 5-14 3-6 13, Hested 3-8 1-2 10, Jorgensen 7-12 4-8 19, Baarts 2-3 0-0 4, Bell 6-7 0-0 15, Flohrs 2-6 0-0 4, Toomer 1-1 0-0 2, Parker 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 26-52 8-16 67.

WORTHINGTON (55)

Ochothow 8-24 6-8 23, Opiew 2-4 0-2 6, Bruns 6-16 0-1 15, W. Brandner 1-4 1-2 3, Pavelko 1-1 0-0 2, Boever 0-2 0-0 0, Bickett 1-3 0-0 2, Alwal 2-6 0-0 4, J. Brandner 0-0 0-0 0, Walu 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 21-62 7-13 55.

3-pointers: Fairmont 7-14 (Bell 3-4, Hested 3-7, Jorgensen 1-1, Frank 0-1, Flohrs 0-1); Worthington 6-22 (Bruns 3-7, Opiew 2-3, Ochothow 1-10, Alwal 0-2). Fouled out: Baarts (FHS). Rebounds: Fairmont 35 (Frank 15, Jorgensen 7); Worthington 32 (Ochothow and Bruns 9 each). Assists: Fairmont 15 (Jorgensen 5, Toomer 3); Worthington 7 (Ochothow 3). Steals: Worthington 8 (Bruns 3); Fairmont 5 (Jorgensen 3).

Worthington defeated Fairmont in B-squad action, 55-48, Tuesday night at Cardinal Gym.

Gavin Junkermeier netted 11 points for the Cardinals, while teammates Jacob Crissinger and Tanner Rosch scored nine points apiece.

The Trojans edged the Cardinals in C-squad play, 45-41, Tuesday in Fairmont.

Owen Burmeister produced 11 points for Fairmont, while Sawyer Tordsen and Jaime Mueller supplied eight points each.

Martin County West 74, Cleveland 52 — The Mavericks utilized balanced scoring to post their ninth consecutive triumph — a 22-point Valley Conference victory over the Clippers on Tuesday night in Cleveland.

Angel Reyes produced a co-game-high 20 points to top MCW’s scoring charts, while teammate Wyatt Geistfeld continued his double-double performances by netting 15 points to complement 10 rebounds.

Zach Anderson supplied 12 points and five boards for the Mavericks, while Derek Dunlop contributed seven points, seven rebounds and six steals.

Ben Holden netted a co-game-best 20 points to top Cleveland, while Eric Rohlfing chipped in 15 points and Isaac Mueller tallied 10 points.

Martin County West (12-1) travels to Granada on Friday night to play Truman/Martin Luther/GHEC.

MCW 34-40–74

CLEV 21-31–52

Truman/Martin Luther/Granada-Huntley-East Chain 49, Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 39 — Adam Heckman scored 20 points and brought down 17 rebounds to power the Jaguars past the Bulldogs in Valley Conference basketball action Tuesday night in Janesville.

The Jaguars jumped ahead to a 19-point lead and went into halftime leading 31-15.

Owen Wolter scored eight points and grabbed five rebounds, while Cael Jaskulke scored six and grabbed eight boards.

Matt Heckman dished out a team-high five assists. Carter Spear added seven points to the Jaguars’ winning ways.

The Jaguars hit 18 of 39 shots from the field, including 3 of 13 from behind the 3-point arc, and made 10 of 22 attempts from the charity stripe.

The Jaguars (11-3) play host to Martin County West in Valley Conference action at 7:15 p.m. Friday.

Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire 48, North Union 38 — Kadin Norris scored a game-best 13 points to steer the Knights to a 10-point Top of Iowa Conference triumph over the Warriors on Tuesday night in Armstrong.

Robert Ortman netted 10 points, pulled down five rebounds and made four steals to top North Union, while Noah Morphew collected nine points and garnered six rebounds.

Parker Eichenberger chipped in six points for the Warriors, while Brendan Anderson pocketed four steals.

The Warriors hit 15 of 47 field goals overall and 4 of 6 free throws.

North Union (1-11) travels to Buffalo Center, Iowa, on Friday night to face North Iowa.