Fairmont fends off FIT Academy, edges North in OT
By Charlie Sorrells
Web Prep Writer
WATERVILLE – Fairmont girls flag football mentor Mat Mahoney and his coaching staff went back to the basics during last week’s practice sessions and the ‘old school’ strategy paid dividends on Sunday.
Cardinal quarterback Audrina Suckow and receiver Adriana Leiding engineered a 20-point lead by intermission before defenders Allissa Moore, Maya Earhart, Chloe Darnell and Leamonie Wilson fended off FIT Academy’s second-half comeback to capture a 20-13 victory in Game 1 at Jon Bakken Field in Waterville.
Leiding and Suckow then went to the airwaves early, often and late, while Moore and Darnell topped the tip-drill defensive secondary coverage to outlast Lakeville North in the third overtime, 15-14, to even Fairmont’s overall record at 3-3 with the back-to-back wins in Week 3.
“The girls turned in a great week of practice and really locked down on the task at hand today,” said Mahoney. “We took some aspects out of our game plan, added a couple things here and there, but mainly we simplified our system.”
Moore pocketed her team-best sixth interception and returned the pick to FIT Academy’s 20-yard line to help set up Fairmont’s initial touchdown on Mother’s Day. Suckow – who erupted for an incredible 372 yards and five touchdowns on 47-for-63 passing during the two-game span – threaded spirals to Kate Hagen and Leiding to hit paydirt with three consecutive completions. Hagen made receptions of 10 and 7 yards, respectively, before Leiding grabbed Suckow’s 3-yard shuffle pass and side-stepped her way across the goal line for six points. Leiding added the 1-point conversion catch from Suckow for a 7-0 lead over FIT Academy.
Wilson and Moore defended the airwaves to limit FIT Academy to only three downs before regaining possession for Suckow & Offensive Company. Suckow bookended the 5-play scoring drive with 10- and 15-yard connections with Leiding to extend the Cardinals’ Game 1 lead to 13-0. The senior quarterback then zipped a 1-point pass to Moore to double the gap.
Earhart, who finished the twinbill with a team-best 14 flags captured, and defense slammed the brakes on FIT Academy at its own 22.
Moore reeled off an 8-yard run before Suckow spotted Hagen for a 6-yarder and Kylee Desjarlais for an 8-yard TD to grab a 20-0 lead by intermission.
Darnell turned in back-to-back catch-denying plays on second and third downs to keep FIT Academy out of the end zone from the Fairmont 12 just before halftime.
FIT Academy quarterback Naomi Winge hit Brianna Preston on a 4-yard score and later scored on a 10-yard keeper to pare Fairmont’s lead to 7, but Moore and Darnell proved worthy of the last-second challenge near the end zone to seal Fairmont’s win.
After battling to a scoreless first half for 18 of the initial 20 minutes, quarterback Lyra Gonzalez threaded a 2-yard scoring pass to Leila Martinez to stake Lakeville North to a 6-0 lead. Darnell tipped away the 1-point conversion pass to keep the Cardinals’ deficit at six by intermission.
Suckow answered the second-half challenge by utilizing the pass-catching skills of Moore and Leiding to march 45 yards to the equalizer. Moore made grabs of 16 and 11 yards, while Leiding nabbed a 10-yarder and later, an 8-yarder for the TD to knot the game at 6-all.
Wilson, Moore and Eya Kotewa stopped Lakeville North on a clutch 4th-down-and-2 situation near midfield to regain possession for Fairmont. Suckow lofted a 24-yard TD toss to Leiding for her fourth and final 6-pointer of the weekend. Leiding – who netted 24 catches for 181 yards during the two-game stint – added the 1-point conversion reception for a 13-6 lead.
Gonzalez drew Lakeville North even on the scoreboard by firing a 20-yard TD strike to Alex Loesch before the two worked their magic on a 1-point conversion to help force overtime.
Suckow zipped a 5-yard 1-point pass to Leiding for Fairmont’s only play of the first overtime before Gonzalez matched the solo tally when a completion to Loesch in the end zone.
Neither team scored from 10 yards out, leaving the tiebreaker depending on its third criteria of which team gains the most yards on one single play from each’s own 5.
Leiding hauled in a crossing pass from Suckow and covered 18 yards on the play, while Moore managed to tip the football away from a Lakeville North receiver to close out Fairmont’s 3-overtime win.
Fairmont (3-3) travels to Austin on Sunday, May 17, for Week 4 regular-season action against New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva at 4 PM and Waterville-Elysian-Morristown at 5 PM.
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(Game 1)
Fairmont 20- 0–20
FIT Acad. 0-13–13
Scoring Plays
1st Half
FHS: Adriana Leiding 3 pass from Audrina Suckow (Leiding pass from Suckow).
FHS: Leiding 15 pass from Suckow (Allissa Moore pass from Suckow).
FHS: Kylee Desjarlais 8 pass from Suckow (conversion failed).
2nd Half
FIT ACAD: Brianna Preston 4 pass from Naomi Winge (Preston pass from Winge).
FIT ACAD: Winge 10 run (conversion failed).
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TEAM STATISTICS
Passing: Fairmont 23-32-0-156 & 3 TDs; FIT Academy 13-32-1-108 & 1 TD. Rushing: Fairmont 8-44; FIT Academy 6-38 & 1 TD. First downs: Fairmont 4; FIT Academy 3.
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INDIVIDUAL STATS
Offense: Passing: Audrina Suckow (FHS) 23-31-0-156 & 3 TDs, Leiding (FHS) 0-1-0-0; Naomi Winge (FIT ACAD) 13-32-1-108 & 1 TD. Rushing: Allissa Moore (FHS) 6-24, Leiding (FHS) 2-20; Winge (FIT ACAD) 2-23 & 1 TD, Klaci Woodford (FIT ACAD) 4-15. Receiving: Fairmont: Kate Hagen 13-92, Leiding 9-56 & 2 TDs, Desjarlais 1-8 & 1 TD. FIT Academy: Brianna Preston 8-66 & 1 TD.
Defense: Interception: Allissa Moore (Fairmont). Flags Captured: Fairmont: Maya Earhart 6, Leamonie Wilson 4, Chloe Darnell 3, Allissa Moore 2, Eya Kotewa 2, Maddie Johnson 2. Passes Defended: Moore 6, Darnell 4, Wilson 2, Kotewa 1.
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(Game 2)
Lakeville North 6- 7-1-0-0–14
Fairmont 0-13-1-0-1–15
Scoring Plays
1st Half
LN: Leila Martinez 2 pass from Lyra Gonzalez (conversion failed).
2nd Half
FHS: Adriana Leiding 8 pass from Audrina Suckow (conversion failed).
FHS: Leiding 24 pass from Suckow (Leiding pass from Suckow).
LN: Alex Loesch 20 pass from Gonzalez (Loesch pass from Gonzalez).
1st OT (1 Attempt from 5 Yards)
FHS: Leiding pass from Suckow.
LN: Loesch pass from Gonzalez.
2nd OT (1 Attempt from 10 Yards)
LN: Pass Failed.
FHS: Pass Failed.
3rd OT (Longest gain on 1 snap)
FHS: Leiding 18 pass from Suckow.
LN: Pass Failed.
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TEAM STATISTICS
Passing: Fairmont 24-32-1-216 & 2 TDs; Lakeville North 8-20-0-80 & 2 TDs. Rushing: Fairmont 7-54; Lakeville North 22-113. First downs: Fairmont 5; Lakeville North 4.
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INDIVIDUAL STATS
Offense: Passing: Audrina Suckow (FHS) 24-32-1-216 & 2 TDs; Lyra Gonzalez (LN) 8-20-0-80 & 2 TDs. Rushing: Fairmont: Leiding 2-22, Allissa Moore 3-20, Suckow 2-12; Lakeville North: Martinez 6-40 & 1 TD. Receiving: Fairmont: Leiding 15-125 & 2 TDs, Moore 5-60, Kate Hagen 3-18, Kylee Desjarlais 1-13; Lakeville North: Loesch 4-46 & 1 TD.
Defense: Interception: Charley Ray (LN). Flags Captured: Fairmont: Maya Earhart 8, Leamonie Wilson 8, Eya Kotewa 7, Moore 3, Darnell 2. Passes Defended: Moore 5, Darnell 4, Wilson 2, Kotewa 1.
2026 FLAG FOOTBALL
FLAG DRILL: Fairmont defenders, left to right from Chloe Darnell (3), Maddie Johnson, Allissa Moore, Kate Hagen and Maya Earhart practice pulling the flag off of teammate Adriana Leiding (2) during a pregame drill Sunday in Waterville. (Photo by Charlie Sorrells)
FLAG FOOTBALL OPENS SEASON APRIL 26
2026 FLAG FOOTBALL
Team Members Include
Front row l to r: Feven Hoyer, Audrina Suckow, Wendy Medina Ambrosio, Maya Earhart, Chloe Darnell, Adriana Leiding. Second row: Kate Hagen, Leamonie Wilson, Raelynn Meyerdirk, Madilynn Johnson, Krystal Paz, Kandy Paz. Third row: Kylee Desjarlais, Elizabeth Hart,
Elizabeth Kotewa, Joslyn Meyer, Saida Parra Perez, Allissa Moore. Back row: Coaches Courtney Schoellerman, Ashley Scheevel, Brad Johnson, Mat Mahoney.
GAME TIMES 4:00 P.M. AND 5:00 P.M
Playoff Recap - Cardinals 14, Titans 21
TCU fends off late Long-led FHS comeback in 3AAA clash
By Charlie Sorrells
Prep Sports Writer
MONTGOMERY – The backyard scenario of youth – the underdog Cardinals trailing the Titans by 7 points, facing one last 80-yard march to a heroic touchdown, and no timeouts with less than 2 minutes to go.
Fairmont quarterback Joe Long zipped a clutch 26-yard pass to Phoenix-esque receiver Tavian Harvey to convert a fourth-and-12 at their own 44, Harvey displayed his stellar vertical leap to snare a 14-yarder from Long to convert a fourth-and-14 at Tri-City United’s 42, a 10-yard Long-to-Merritt Pomerenke connection and Long’s narrow-window 28-yard fling to Brayden Williamson to the Titans’ 4. A fourth and final quarterback spike to barely freeze the time at 3 seconds remaining.
Unfortunately for No. 5 seed Fairmont, No. 4 seed TCU received its own storybook ending as linebacker Toren Kelly’s perfectly-angled defensive run to the pylon denied Long’s near-heroic sprint-and-stretch scramble just mere inches short of the goal line as time elapsed.
Kelly’s game-saving stop, combined with both an offensive and defensive touchdown by Parker O’Malley, held off Long and the Cardinals’ incredible cardiac comeback, 21-14, in Tuesday night’s unforgettable Section 3AAA quarterfinal football clash in Montgomery.
TCU (4-5) advances to face No. 1 seed and unbeaten Waseca (8-0) in a 2 PM sectional semifinal Saturday in Waseca. The Bluejays earned a first-round postseason bye.
“We may have lost tonight’s game, but it was NOT for a lack of effort. Our guys played their hearts out and I’m so proud of them,” said Fairmont mentor Mat Mahoney, whose team ended the season with a 4-5 overall record. “Life is filled with opportunities – they (TCU) just made the most out of one more than we did in the end.”
O’Malley did exactly that to account for the playoff opener’s only TD of a defensive-oriented first half with 5:59 remaining before intermission. After Fairmont defensive stalwarts Owen Terfehr, Nolan Anderson, Ty Tumbleson, Tyler Bicknase, Mathew Martin and Reed Johnson combined to prevent TCU from breaking the plane of the goal line on four consecutive “and-goal” opportunites from the 1-yard line to regain possession, the Titans delivered a defensive gem of their own.
“I don’t know who exactly knocked the football loose, but I saw it come out of the pile and just grabbed it in the end zone for the touchdown,” O’Malley said in reference to his 6-point fumble recovery with 5:59 left in the second quarter. Titus Krauss kicked the PAT for a 7-0 TCU lead.
Unfortunately for Fairmont, its opening third-quarter possession went awry as the visitors were forced to punt after a three-and-out series and an errant long snap to the kicker allowed TCU to set up its offense at the 50.
Facing a fourth-and-4 at the Cardinals’ 34, Titans’ head coach Matt Collins opted to go for the key first down. Quarterback Kellen Jirik rolled left and lofted a pass to O’Malley along the home team’s sideline. The Cardinal defender slipped on a soggy grass-turned-mud patch as O’Malley caught Jirik’s pass and sprinted the 34-yard distance for his second TD of the playoff game. Krauss’ kick made it 14-0 with 6:02 left in the third segment.
“Down by 14, we needed a huge play and Joe Long really stepped up for us during the next series,” said Mahoney.
After Long hit Tavian Harvey for one of his game-leading nine receptions for 12 of his game-best 130 yards, Fairmont’s senior quarterback motored around left end, broke two tackles and left nothing but a vapor trail en route to a pivotal 59-yard TD run. Long then fired a 2-point conversion pass to Nolan Anderson to trim the Cardinals’ gap to 14-8 with 4:49 left in the third quarter.
Running back Keegan O’Meara answered for TCU during the next possession by generating 54 of his game-best 81 rushing yards on four carries to ignite the Titans’ nine-play, 84-yard scoring drive. O’Meara’s 29-yard slashing sweep run and tip-toe balance to just slip inside the pylon for the TD extended the Titans’ lead to 21-8 with 11:49 remaining in regulation.
The two defenses kept the game scoreless until Williamson’s 17-yard punt return put Fairmont in business at the Titans’ 47 with less than 4 minutes remaining. Long and Tavian Harvey worked their magic through the air by connecting for a 10-yarder, 25-yarder and finally, a 12-yarder for a TD with 3:16 remaining. The 2-point conversion pass failed to keep the score at 21-14 and eventually led to the Cardinals’ near-heroic downfield march against all odds.
Long threw for a game-best 157 yards and one TD, while topping Fairmont’s rushing charts with 65 more yards and a score.
Mathew Martin recovered a fumble for Fairmont, while O’Meara and O’Malley did likewise for TCU.
FHS 0 0 8 6 – 14
TCU 0 7 7 7 – 21
SCORING PLAYS
1st Quarter
No Scoring.
2nd Quarter
TCU: Parker O’Malley fumble recovery in end zone (Titus Krauss kick), 5:59.
3rd Quarter
TCU: Parker O’Malley 34 pass from Kellen Jirik (Titus Krauss kick), 6:02.
FHS: Joe Long 59 run (Nolan Anderson pass from Joe Long), 4:49.
4th Quarter
TCU: Keegan O’Meara 29 run (Titus Krauss kick), 11:49.
FHS: Tavian Harvey 12 pass from Joe Long (pass failed), 3:16.
TEAM STATISTICS
First Downs: Fairmont 10; TCU 8. Rushing: TCU 44-138; Fairmont 23-87. Passing: Fairmont 13-35-0-157; TCU 2-3-0-38. Fumbles-lost: Fairmont 4-2; TCU 3-1. Penalties: Fairmont 8-75; TCU 2-30.
INDIVIDUAL STATS
Offense: Rushing: Joe Long (FHS) 13-65; Keegan O’Meara (TCU) 9-81. Passing: Joe Long (FHS) 13-34-0-157; Kellen Jirik (TCU) 2-3-0-38. Receiving: Tavian Harvey (FHS) 9-130; Parker O’Malley (TCU) 1-34.
Defense: Fumble recoveries: Mathew Martin (FHS); Parker O’Malley (TCU) and Keegan O’Meara (TCU).
The Fairmont Area Football Team
2025 FAIRMONT CARDINALS FOOTBALL TEAM:
- Front Row: Draden Beebe, Gavin Schomberg, Carter Hansen, Adam Denson, Wyatt McGowan, Brayden Pooley, Carl Winnery Ebon, Brayden Williamson, Lucas Kotewa
- Second Row: Chase Birr, Allen Szafryk, Jacob Porter, Keyon Schutz, Asst. Coach Jesse Walters, Asst. Coach Brian Wille, Head Coach Mat Mahoney, Asst. Coach Brad Johnson, Asst. Coach Shawn Chambers, Caiden Utesch, Brock Rodning, Landen Traetow, Hogan Artz, Ben Sunken
- Third Row: Clay Mitchell, Ryan Szafryk, Mac Anderson, Owen Terfehr, Lucas Johnson, Luther Malo, Jordan Thompson, Aaris White, Kayden Williams, Jacob Ehlert, Merritt Pomerenke, Mason Bicknase, Mason Ingvoldstad, Dayton Draper, Ethan Darnell, Hunter Sommer
- Fourth Row: Caine Gronewald, Mathew Martin, Ethan Farnum, Travohn Harvey, Alex Frederikson, Max Nielsen, Benet Mathiason, Joe Long, Tavian Harvey, Dakota Wiley
- Fifth Row: Cole Brockmann, Tyler Bicknase, Preston Geerdes, Reed Johnson, DJ Miller, Nolan Anderson, Caiden Wickert, Aaron Becker, Kaiden Bell
(Photo courtesy of Randy Chirpich/Fairmont Sports)
_________________________________
Welcome
We would like to invite you to become part of the Cardinal football program in Fairmont by participating on a tackle football team in the fall. 2024 marks the 19th year of tackle football for 4th, 5th, and 6th grade boys. The results have been very positive for the boys involved. They had fun, learned principles of teamwork and sportsmanship, and began developing the fundamental skills of football.
RULES AND GOALS
- To Develop Fundamental Football Skills
- To Work and Play as a Team, NOT as an Individual
- To Have FUN at Practices and Games
- To Do Our Best at ALL Times
- To Maintain Good Sportsmanship at ALL Times
ELEMENTARY FOOTBALL REGISTRATION & INFORMATION
Registration is Open
15th Annual Fairmont Football Golf Fund-raiser Fri., Aug. 8
By Charlie Sorrells Fairmont Football Association Contributor
FAIRMONT – If one’s looking to ‘get their steps in’ while helping the Fairmont Cardinal football program continue to thrive, then break out the golf clubs and head to Interlaken Golf Club in Fairmont on Friday, Aug. 8.
The Fairmont Area Football Association will hold its 15th annual golf fund-raiser, which tees off via a 1 p.m. shotgun start. Golfers registering prior to the Sunday, July 20, deadline will receive a quarter-zip Cardinal pull-over the day of the event. Players can sign up at the association’s website – www.fairmontareafootball.com – and pay the best-ball event’s entry fee by Paypal, Venmo or credit card. Anyone registering prior to the July 20 deadline should list their pull-over size on the entry form.
Proceeds
All proceeds from the annual tournament go toward purchasing concussion-protocol helmets; youth football programs’ gear; varsity practice jerseys; and new scoreboards for both the Fairmont elementary field and the high school’s practice facility. The in-house funds also will help defray costs for improvements to Thomas Mahoney Field – along with expenses for weekly meals and after-game food for the players – and provide funding for scholarships for camps. “The golf outing has evolved into a major fund-raiser in terms of making sure ‘our shelves are stocked,’ so to speak, for each upcoming football season at every level of the program,” said Fairmont head football coach/activities director Mat Mahoney.
Silent Auction
“There are a lot of moving parts to the golf tournament, and without all the important people organizing it, making generous donations in sponsoring the event, and of course, all of the alumni and area supporters playing in the outing, we wouldn’t be able to maintain our program’s tradition of excellence on the field and in the classroom.” The 15th annual golf outing will feature a silent auction, door prizes and hole prizes throughout the 18 holes of play. “Each and every contribution counts more than we realize and all are greatly appreciated,” said Mat Mahoney. “Businesses and/or individuals can be a major sponsor, sponsor a hole or be a green-or-tee sponsor, and also can make monetary or product donations.”
Lunch - Burger Bar
Fairmont Cardinal football fans also can support the program’s fund-raising effort by purchasing a Cardinal Card that features numerous discounts by area businesses on their products andservices. If any football supporter misses the July 20 registration deadline, one can still play by either signing up online or can pay a walk-up fee on the day of the golf outing at noon on August 8. A lunch of cheesy chicken sandwiches, chips, cookie and a drink will be served for lunch at noon that day, with a burger bar featured after the outing. Current Fairmont Cardinal football players will be on the Interlaken Golf Course to assist with any of the event’s contests and the players’ golf bags. The Fairmont Cardinals earned its 13th overall state appearance and seventh under Mat Mahoney’s leadership en route to an overall record of 8-3 last fall.
Fairmont coaching legend Jim Simser passes away
By Charlie Sorrells
Fairmont Football Association Contributor
FAIRMONT – From an early age, we are taught that death is inevitable. What each individual does with one’s unknown allotted time on earth is the key to life.
When I learned of Jim Simser’s passing from Fairmont High School activities director and head football coach Mat Mahoney on Friday afternoon, my heart sank even though I knew the former FHS athletic director and legendary Cardinal football mentor’s time with us was drawing to a close.
While the grief I felt for my own personal loss of the man I simply called “Coach” made a tear roll down my cheek, the one consolation I possessed was having the chance to have known him for more than half of my life in my job as a sports writer.
I remember his firm handshake, genuine smile and gentlemanly demeanor when I first met him when he accepted the inevitable task of replacing one of the Minnesota prep football rank’s greatest coaches of all-time in Thomas Mahoney on the Fairmont sideline in the fall of 1990.
“Sports writer – hmmm. Heard you cover games from the sideline. There is a press box, you know,” said Simser, who raised his eyebrows in jest before grinning. “Earn that position and it’s yours.”
For the next 10 fall seasons, I felt privileged to watch the former New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva coaching great evolve into a legend in Fairmont football lore. His coaching style was unique – reserved and respectful while knowledgeable and confident all at the same time.
Prior to his arrival in Fairmont, he had guided New Richland-Hartland to four state appearances, including the Class ‘C’ championship in 1976 and the Class ‘B’ crown in 1978, and was tabbed the 1978 Minnesota Coach of the Year for his coaching prowess. He also served as the Minnesota Football Coaches Association’s executive secretary for numerous years after accepting the role in 1986.
He added three more state bids to his Hall of Fame coaching resume from 1990-99, engineering the Cardinals’ first-ever appearance in the Class ‘A’ state semifinals at the Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome in Minneapolis in 1992 before reaching the quarterfinals in back-to-back style in 1996 and 1997. He also led Fairmont to five South Central Conference championships during his 10-year tenure.
While he closed out his esteemed 32-year high school football coaching career with a 223-91-1 record to earn his rightful places in the Minnesota Football Coaches Association’s Hall of Fame in 2000 and the Fairmont Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015, he took great solace in being a beloved husband, father, coach, teacher and friend.
While the love of his life for half of a century, Winn Ann, passed away in the fall of 2013, Jim is survived by four sons – Bill, Mike, Mark and Dave – and their respective families.
A mass of Christian burial will be held at 11 AM Friday, Oct. 25, at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in Fairmont, with military honors to take place afterward. Burial will be held at Fort Snelling National Cemetery in Minneapolis. Jim honorably served a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific after graduating with his bachelor’s degree from Mankato State University in 1961.
Visitation will take place from 4-7 PM Thursday, Oct. 24, at Lakeview Funeral Home in Fairmont, and one hour prior to services at the church on Friday.
Thank you for your integrity, kindness, witty humor and insight into what’s truly important in life.
Rest in peace, “Coach.”