ABOVE: Fairmont defenders swarm New Ulm receiver Zachary Hubbard during a prep football game on Sept. 5 at Mahoney Field in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT – One of the many aspects that makes high school athletics special is the intense rivalries built between two schools.

Fairmont and Waseca are no exception to this.

Over the past handful of seasons, fans of both Fairmont and Waseca football teams have grown accustomed to the rivalry that has brewed between the two programs.

While Fairmont has gone 7-5 against the Bluejays since 2016, the two football powerhouses have been .500 against one another the past three years, with both teams meeting each other in the regular season and Section 3AAA playoffs.

“I think it’s two good programs,” Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney said. “I think they are a very good program, I think we are a good program, so it’s just kind of turned into a natural good rivalry with us.”

Waseca enters Friday’s contest with an early 2-0 record. After escaping St. Peter with a narrow 7-6 victory Week 1, the Bluejays bounced back with a 37-6 win over Belle Plaine to retain their perfect season.

The biggest thing Mahoney and his coaching staff have to prepare for will be the presence of Deron Russell.

While committed to North Dakota State for his skills as a defensive back, Russell has proven to be an explosive threat at wide receiver, racking up 745 yards and five touchdowns during his 2024 campaign.

“Deron Russell is probably a top-10 athlete in the state,” Mahoney said. “Just in football and basketball, he’s a difference maker and a stud. So, we have to know where he is at all times.”

Typically, a ground-and-pound type of team with the run game, Mahoney says that Waseca has really thrived with their passing game in recent seasons. This year’s roster will be no different.

The Bluejays return sophomore quarterback Kellen Klinger, who’s coming off a successful season starting for Waseca as a true freshman. With weapons such as Russell, Cyrett Long, and Jordan Johnston, all viable to have the ball in their hands, the Waseca offense can pose problems for many.

“The biggest thing is that we can’t give up the big play,” Mahoney said. “They are really good and a very explosive football team, so we can’t give up a big play. Just got to minimize their big plays.”

Mahoney plans on using a handful of defensive schemes to counter the Bluejays, using different looks with the rotation of his players to confuse the young Waseca quarterback.

Waseca typically has run a 3-4 defensive scheme in years past. But this Friday, Mahoney expects his opponent to also use a 4-4 to give Fairmont’s offense a handful of different looks.

“Last year, when we played them in the section finals, 4-4 because we were running the ball so much,” Mahoney said. “We’re going to be expecting them to do something different. They also put a lot of pressure on you.”

With Russell and other strong athletes covering the back end for any passing attack, Mahoney has emphasized to his team the importance of “doing your job.”

“We just have to be ready to rock and roll,” Mahoney said. “We got to do our job. That’s kind of one of the big things this week, is that you have to just do your job.”

The rivalry continues this Friday at Mahoney Field on the campus of Fairmont High School. Kickoff is set to begin at 7 p.m.