Fairmont, Waseca to clash for Section 3AAA football crown | News, Sports, Jobs

Landen Meyerdirk

FAIRMONT – A traditional matchup of contrasting offensive types.

No. 1 seed Waseca will convey its sharp floor sport to bear towards No. 1 seed Fairmont’s high-octane aerial assault. 2 within the Section 3AAA football championship sport Friday night time at 7:00 pm on the substitute turf at New Ulm High School.

Zach Jorgensen, a present favourite walk-on for the Minnesota Gopher football crew, threw for 309 yards and three touchdowns to energy the Cardinals to a 27-6 victory over the Bluejays throughout the 2021 sectional closing in Janesville.

Waseca coach Brad Wendland’s squad, nonetheless, posted a 32-14 win over Fairmont throughout Week 4 this season — one of many Cardinals’ two losses in 10 video games.

The backfield tandem of Christian Rodriguez and Kyle Ahlschlager mixed for 316 of the Bluejays’ 372 speeding yards and 4 TDs within the win over the Cardinals almost six weeks in the past.

“It’s plain and easy – Waseca desires to run football. Now we now have to discover a method to win each first down scenario we are able to.” Fairmont mentor Mat Mahoney stated. “We’ve received to put them in longer yardage conditions within the second finish.

“The more the sticks move on the ground, the more time it chews.”

Waseca (8-1) diversified its scoring strategies throughout a 33-7 sectional semifinal overcome Tri-City United final Saturday.

Ahlschlager broke free for a 70-yard scoring gallop as quarterback Oliver O’Brien crossed the aim line on a 2-yard run earlier than throwing a 22-yard TD move to Carson Ohnstad. Max Neaves later recovered a TCU fumble in the long run zone for six extra factors, whereas Rodriguez capped the scoring with a 4-yard run.

Meanwhile, Fairmont’s tight finish elevated his season-high interception whole to 15 and pick-six to six to assist tempo a 35-0 sectional semifinal rout of Luverne final Saturday.

Landen Meyerdirk, who reached the top zone on a 55-yard run and a 73-yard catch from quarterback Brendan Schmidtke, produced his co-leading fifth interception between two TDs within the third quarter.

Levi Pooley, who leads the Cardinals with 39 catches for 563 yards and 9 TDs, produced a school-record 101-yard punt return for a TD throughout the second-round playoff sport.

Pooley additionally has 5 interceptions with a 6-6 pair, David Maakestad has transformed each of his picks into scores, whereas Parker Mathiason and Meyerdirk have the opposite two interceptions become TDs.

“Our defense has really stepped it up since the first time we played Waseca this season.” stated Mahoney, whose line of defense has scored eight TDs this marketing campaign. “Offensively, we need to be more balanced, but not only do we need to maximize our possessions, but we need to finish in the red zone.”

Fairmont enters Friday’s sectional matchup on a six-game successful streak, whereas Waseca has hit seven in a row. The Cardinals rating at a 30.8 level clip and permit a median of 10.9, whereas the Bluejays generate 39.0 factors per outing and quit an 11.8 fee.

“Brad (Wendland) always does a good job of preparing his teams, so we’ll have our hands full.” Mahoney stated. “We’re just going to stick with what we do and see how it turns out.”