Fairmont ready for regular season finale against St. Peter
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FAIRMONT - It was hard for Fairmont football head coach Mat Mahoney not to be proud of his team last Wednesday night. The Cardinals hosted Section 3AAA QRF (Quality Rating Formula) leader Tri-City United in a bout between two teams that carried three-game winning streaks.
The Titans eeked out a last-second win. A back-and-forth battle came down to one final Tri-City United drive. There, with 1:28 left in the fourth quarter, quarterback Kellen Jirik organized a 68-yard scoring series that stamped his team's 26-25 victory at Mahoney Field.
That loss set the Cardinals at 4-3 while holding the No. 5 spot in the latest section rankings. But the effort didn't go unnoticed. Mahoney challenged his team to develop into its full potential by October. Since Fairmont's 28-0 loss to Waseca on September 18, the group has continuously come together to reach the goals their head coach set. Last Wednesday's effort was the latest example of this week-to-week improvement.
"When you lose a close game like this to a team that's No. 1 in the section, and right now we are sitting at No. 5 in the section, to see that we almost beat them means we can play with about anybody in the section," Mahoney said. "This has been a really cool team with how much they just keep getting better. They are kind of like one of those Pop-Up [tackling] Dummies, because they get knocked down and get right back up every time."
Fairmont's final test on its regular season schedule takes place this Thursday against St. Peter. The Saints enter Mahoney Field playing two of their best games yet, stacking two-possession wins over Albert Lea and New Ulm, respectively.
Offense has been a strength for St. Peter all season. This group averages over 28 points per contest. Its best showing took place last Wednesday versus the Eagles. Scoring 31 points, it was the most St. Peter has recorded since September 19. Mahoney says it all starts with Ryan Moelter.
"It all starts with 21," Mahoney said. "He's a running back. He will play wide receiver, catching balls from the outside and from inside the slot. He will line up as a wildcat quarterback, running or even throwing the ball. He does it all, and it all starts with him."
Owen Potts is another weapon Mahoney says can make impacts on a contest. Impacts that occur even without the ball in his hands. A great blocker in his "sniffer" position, Potts can act as another offensive lineman with his blocking ability. He can also catch passes over the middle with his 6'2, 200-pound frame.
Alex Korir returns as St. Peter's starting quarterback. Mahoney calls Korir a dynamic signal caller, using his legs and arm to create problems for opposing defenses. All three faces create an offense that can strike from any down and distance.
Fairmont's defense looked the best its been during the three-game winning streak over Austin, Albert Lea and Belle Plaine, allowing just two total touchdowns. The addition of Aaron Becker at linebacker brings a new spark. Limiting explosive plays will be key for the Cardinals’ success against St. Peter. Last week, two of the Titans’ scores came off large gains on the ground and through the air. Another strong offense will force the Cardinals to hone in on their keys and fundamentals.
"He [Korir] can throw the deep ball," Mahoney said. "They've had a lot of explosive touchdowns of over 30 yards. We just have to make sure that we are doing our jobs, staying back and reading our keys. But they have a really unique offense where they can highlight all three of those guys while having other wide receivers who can catch the ball."
Part of the reason Fairmont has continued improving game in and game out has been the reestablishment of its running game. A newfound rushing attack with running backs Keyon Schutz, Mason Bicknase and Ryder Thate has certainly helped the Cardinals average nearly 36 points per game since September 25.
The Cardinals’ last contest against Tri-City United didn't have this same ground-and-pound success. Three straight games of over 200 rushing yards dwindled to 81, with quarterback Jensen Livesay doing most of the damage on his various designed runs and sneaks up the middle.
Running the ball is something that's defined Mahoney's program since he started his tenure. It helped jump-start an offense that had been shut out in consecutive weeks to New Ulm and Waseca in weeks two and three. Continuing to find that success is essential for Fairmont's scoring attack reaching its full potential.
"At the end of the day, it's our identity," Mahoney said. "When we run the ball well, it opens everything else up for us. We're going to try and get back to pounding the rock and see what we can come up with."