FAIRMONT — Senior Laura Thompson and sophomore Will Niestrath were selected as the Fairmont Cardinal cross country teams’ most valuable runners for the 2021 season.

Freshman Macy Hanson and sophomore Gavin Artner merited the Cardinals’ hardest worker award, while the freshmen tandem of Paige DeBoer and Cooper Gudahl were tabbed as most improved runners this fall.

Eighth-graders Audrina Suckow and Brier Lenort earned Fairmont’s rookie of the year honors, while eighth-graders Kendra Blomster and Isaac Stone garnered the program’s outstanding junior varsity runner accolades.

Thompson and Hanson captured sixth and seventh place, respectively, at the Class AA state cross country meet to earn all-state honors.

The elite pair of runners also established the program’s top two 5,000-meter times, respectively, while competing at the state meet.

Thompson closed out her outstanding high school cross country career as Fairmont’s all-time leading scorer with 1,783 points.

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Esquivel-Rosales nets soccer honors

FAIRMONT — Goalkeeper Berny Esquivel-Rosales netted the Fairmont Area Cardinal boys soccer team’s most valuable player award for the 2021 campaign.

Esquivel-Rosales also was named as the Cardinals’ rookie of the year and claimed the team’s golden glove award.

Zack Jenks received Fairmont Area’s most improved honor, Prince Lebbi claimed the golden boot award for his offensive skills, while Eli Broomfield garnered the golden ball away for his playmaking skills.

Carson Pomerenke claimed the golden guard award for his defensive capabilities, while Armando Hernandez received the Cardinal award for his overall contributions.

Matthew Kotewa, Lincoln Becker, Benjamin Heinze and Pomerenke were selected as the captains for the 2022 Fairmont Area boys soccer team.

Fairmont Area earned a spot in this fall’s Section 2A championship match for the first time since the 2012 campaign.

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Hockey to host back-to-back games

FAIRMONT — The Fairmont Area Cardinals’ girls hockey team will play host to the Waseca Bluejays in its home-opener on Tuesday night at Martin County Arena in Fairmont.

The Cardinals and Bluejays will square off in a Big South Conference contest, with the face-off set for 7 p.m.

Fairmont Area girls hockey then plays host to Rochester Mayo in a nonconference game at Martin County Arena. Fairmont Area and Mayo will hit the ice at 1 p.m. Saturday.