SNOWY SIX — Fairmont Cardinals receiver Eli Anderson (left) makes a touchdown reception over Marshall Tigers defensive back AJ Toulouse during high school football action Friday night at Mattke Field on the Southwest Minnesota State University campus in Marshall (Photo by Greg Abel)

MARSHALL — With only three official practices under its belt, Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney still believed his youthful Cardinals football team could compete and maybe even defeat the unbeaten Class 4A, No. 2-ranked Marshall Tigers on Friday night at Mattke Field.

Mahoney’s confidence in his rebuilt lineup nearly proved prophetic as the Tigers scratched out a high-scoring, back-and-forth shootout, 30-27, on the turf on the Southwest Minnesota State University campus in Marshall.

Senior quarterback Brevin Runia rebounded from three first-half interceptions to finish with a game-best 207 passing yards and one touchdown to complement a game-high 90 rushing yards and two more scores to thwart the Cardinals’ upset bid in their seasonal debut.

“Of our three practices this week, one was in the pouring rain and snow, and another was strictly indoors, so there’s nothing for our guys to hang their heads about tonight,” said Mahoney, whose lineup had its original season-opener against Worthington and a Week 2 clash with Waseca cancelled due to high active coronavirus numbers in the county and school district.

“Some of these players weren’t even on the field a year ago, but they pressed the No. 2-ranked team in Class 4A all the way to the end of the game. “It’s like the old saying goes, we will grow from Week 1 to Week 2. We learned a lot about ourselves from this game.”

Junior quarterback Zach Jorgensen, one of Mahoney’s returning standouts from last year’s sectional finalist team, proved his all-around skills by staking the Cardinals to an early lead.

Jorgensen, who finished with 143 yards through the air, fired a 15-yard swing pass to wide receiver Eli Anderson for the game’s initial TD on the heels of a costly Tigers’ pass interference penalty with 6:29 remaining in the opening quarter.

Despite Anderson’s interception grab that caromed off Marshall record-setting receiver Bryce Lance’s hands during the ensuing possession, Runia and the Tigers’ defense forced a punt.

Lance then redeemed himself by returning Jorgensen’s punt 34 yards to the Cardinals’ 16. Runia then lofted a perfect fade pass to Lance in the left corner of the end zone to cover the distance for six points. Lance’s catch made him Marshall’s all-time leading TD receiver at the 4:32 mark. Jorgensen notched the first of his game-best three blocked PAT kicks to keep the game tied.

Eddie Garcia’s fumble recovery at Fairmont’s 37 later set up Runia’s 1-yard TD keeper before Jorgensen batted down another PAT kick for a 12-6 Tigers’ lead with 1:31 left in the first.

The two powerhouse programs then triggered a back-and-forth tempo as Fairmont defensive back Jake Harris stepped in front of a Runia spiral and returned it 20 yards for a pick-6 and a 12-all tie with 10:39 left in the first half. Owen Burmeister kicked the PAT for a 13-12 edge

Marshall answered on the next series behind Runia’s completions of 14 and 12 yards to tight end Jack Bly and running back DeMario Gaines’ 45-yard slashing sprint. Gaines scored from 2 yards out for the first of his two TDs on the game. Fairmont’s Tanner Rosch sacked Runia on the 2-point conversion pass to leave the Tigers ahead 18-13.

Eli Anderson then delivered a pivotal defensive gem with time winding down in the second quarter. Anderson pocketed his second interception of the Cardinals’ season-opener and returned it 41 yards to the Marshall 34. Anderson capped his defensive highlight by grabbing a 34-yard TD strike from Jorgensen with 21 seconds left before halftime. Jorgensen then ran for the 2-point conversion to stake Fairmont to a 21-18 halftime lead.

The Tigers and Cardinals then combined for three TDs during the first four possessions of the second half before grinding out a defensive-minded fourth frame.

Runia utilized his powerful running style to account for 30 of Marshall’s 12-play, 65-yard scoring march before sneaking across the goal line from 1 yard out. Hudson Artz and Jorgensen stopped Gaines short on the 2-point run to keep the game at 24-21 in favor of the home team with 5:07 left in the third.

Jorgensen then counter-punched for Fairmont by reeling off 20 yards on a scramble up the middle before threading a 41-yard screen pass to Hudson Artz for his third passing TD of the night.

Runia and the Tigers recaptured the lead for the final time during the early stages of the fourth quarter. Runia zipped back-to-back 18-yarders to Keaton Maertens and Gaines to reach the Fairmont 21. Gaines later scored on a 9-yard run before Jorgensen blocked his third PAT kick to keep the game at 30-27.

Brock Lutterman’s fumble recovery late in the fourth breathed new life into the Cardinals’ comeback bid at the 50, but Fairmont couldn’t move the ball. Runia then put the game in the books by converting on two key down-and-distance runs to run out the clock.

Hudson Artz produced 145 yards on four kickoff returns for the Cardinals, in addition to making two receptions for 44 yards and one score to complement 25 yards on four carries.

Bly finished with six catches for 56 yards for the Tigers, while Lance delivered three receptions for 70 yards and one TD.

Marshall (3-0) plays host to Class 3A, No. 6-ranked Waseca next Friday night, while Fairmont (0-1) plays host to New Ulm at Mahoney Field.

Fairmont 6 15 6 0 — 27

Marshall 12 6 6 6 — 30

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

FMT–Eli Anderson 15 pass from Zach Jorgensen (kick failed), 6:29.

MAR–Bryce Lance 16 pass from Brevin Runia (kick failed), 4:32.

MAR–Runia 1 run (kick failed), 1:31.

2nd Quarter

FMT–Jake Harris 20 interception return (Owen Burmeister kick), 10:39.

MAR–DeMario Gaines 2 run (pass failed), 8:00.

FMT–Eli Anderson 34 pass from Jorgensen (Jorgensen run), 0:21.

3rd Quarter

MAR–Runia 1 run (run failed), 5:07.

FMT–Hudson Artz 41 pass from Jorgensen (kick failed), 3:27.4th Quarter

MAR–Gaines 9 run (kick failed), 11:25.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Fairmont 7; Marshall 20. Rushing: Fairmont 22-65; Marshall 43-182. Passing: Fairmont 8-21-1-143; Marshall 15-24-3-207. Fumbles-lost: Fairmont 1-1; Marshall 2-1. Penalties: Fairmont 6-33; Marshall 6-45.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Offense: Rushing: Runia (MAR) 18-90, Gaines (MAR) 16-72; Hudson Artz (FMT) 4-25, Jorgensen (FMT) 7-20. Passing: Runia (MAR) 15-24-3-207; Jorgensen (FMT) 8-21-1-143. Receiving: Fairmont: Eli Anderson 5-92, Hudson Artz 2-44. Marshall: Jack Bly 6-56, Lance 3-70, Gaines 3-44, Keaton Maertens 3-35.

Defense: Interceptions: Eli Anderson (FMT) 2, Harris (FMT), Grant Louwagie (MAR). Fumble recoveries: Eddie Garcia (MAR), Brock Lutterman (FMT). Blocked PATs: Jorgensen (FMT) 3.