Levi Pooley

FAIRMONT — Fairmont football teammates Elijah Johnson, Levi Pooley and Jake Singleton nearly completed a clean sweep of the 2023 South Central Red District offensive players of the year awards.

Johnson, who was selected as the Fairmont Sentinel newspaper’s All-Area football captain this fall, was named as the district’s offensive back of the 2023 campaign.

The 5-foot-9, 190-pound junior running back also was voted as Fairmont’s most valuable player for etching his name into the school’s rushing record books multiple times this season.

Pooley, who also was an All-Area gridiron selection this fall after sharing player of the year accolades in 2022, was tabbed as the district’s top wide receiver this campaign.

The 5-10, 185-pound sure-handed Pooley — who was named as the Cardinals’ top offensive threat this fall — earned selection to the South roster in the 50th annual Minnesota All-Star Football Game, which will kick off at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 2, at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.

Pooley, who’s also a defensive standout, will don his familiar No. 7 jersey for the South lineup and play defensive back under the tutelage of Fairmont defensive coordinator and assistant varsity coach Brad Johnson.

Johnson’s lineup produced five shutouts and allowed a miniscule 9.2 points per outing this fall. He will be part of Mound Westonka head coach Nick David’s South All-Stars’ coaching staff on Dec. 2.

Singleton, who also was chosen to the annual Sentinel All-Area football team, collected the district’s offensive lineman of the year award for his outstanding run-blocking and pass protection.

The 6-3, 290-pound senior offensive guard also was selected as Fairmont’s lineman of the year.

Senior tri-level defender Gage Borntrager and junior defensive lineman/fullback Hank Artz joined Johnson, Pooley and Singleton as all-district football choices, while junior defensive back Hadan Toomer and senior quarterback Blaze Geiger received honorable mention all-district status.

Geiger demonstrated his prowess both on the field and in the classroom by earning a spot on the Minnesota Class AAA academic all-state team.

Borntrager, an All-Area choice like Toomer, topped the Cardinals with seven quarterback sacks this fall to merit Fairmont’s defensive playmaker award this season.

Senior linebacker Cole Wiemers rounded out Fairmont’s individual awards by garnering the 2023 Tom Mahoney Award for his dedication and hard work.

Fairmont compiled a 9-2 overall record and earned a spot in the Section 3AAA championship game for the third consecutive season.