Week 6 Recap - Fairmont 27, Belle Plaine 7

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By Charlie Sorrells

Web Prep Writer

BELLE PLAINE – “Our guys stepped up to our (coaching staff’s) challenge this week, and we finally turned the corner tonight,” said Fairmont mentor Mat Mahoney, whose football team posted its third consecutive victory – a dominating 27-7 decision over sectional opponent Belle Plaine on the Tigers’ home turf during Week 6 action Friday night.

Quarterback Jensen Livesay passed for 186 yards and two touchdowns to complement rushing for 52 more yards and a third score, running back Keyon Schutz produced his second 100-plus-yard rushing performance and one TD, while linebacker Aaron Becker and the Cardinals’ smothering defense held the high-octane Tigers’ offense to 194 yards – with only 50 coming in the second half.

After battling to 10 ½ minutes of scoreless football, Fairmont quick-step split end Brayden Williamson literally turned the corner after catching a Livesay spiral near the Belle Plaine sideline. Williamson eluded one defender before picking up a key block from guard Craig Schultze and outsprinted the Tiger secondary to the end zone for a 64-yard TD. Boe Kolbe kicked the PAT for a 7-0 lead with 1:42 left in the first quarter.

Despite Becker recording two of his game-best three quarterback sacks to go with sure-handed tackles by ends Reed Johnson and Vincent Schultz and in-your-tracks stops by the secondary trio of Owen Terfehr, Travohn Harvey and Williamson, the Cardinals’ second of two lost fumbles prevented them from extending their one-TD lead in the second frame.

The Tigers capitalized on a short punt with time winding down before intermission, and generated the equalizer. North Dakota State and South Dakota State quarterback recruit Reed Creighton zipped an 18-yard strike to Iker Calderon to reach Fairmont’s 22 before later lofting a 19-yard scoring completion to Landon Wadsley. Wadsley got one foot down in the end zone by mere inches before Adrian Grilla’s PAT kick knotted the game at 7-all with 1:58 to go before halftime.

Livesay, who completed 12 of 21 passes, went to the air early and often to open the third quarter. The 6-foot-4 senior signal-caller found tight end Preston Geerdes over the middle for 9 yards before Schutz pounded out 13 on the ground. Livesay then rocketed back-to-back 20-yard missiles to Geerdes and Harvey to restore the Cardinals’ advantage on the scoreboard. Harvey made a leaping TD catch near the left pylon for six points before Kolbe kicked the extra point for a 14-7 edge at the 8:44 juncture.

Becker, Caiden Utesch, Johnson, Vincent Schultz and Fairmont’s relentless defense did not allow a Tiger first down until the final 2 minutes of the fourth quarter to allow Livesay and the Cardinal offense to assemble back-to-back time-consuming scoring drives to put the game in the win column.

Livesay engineered a 10-play, 41-yard point-producing march by threading a key 17-yard spiral to Harvey to keep the yard markers moving downfield. Livesay then rumbled into the end zone on a 15-yard gallop to widen Fairmont’s margin to 20-7 with 6:46 remaining in regulation.

Becker’s 10-yard quarterback sack on fourth-and-7 at the Tigers’ 33 regained possession for the Cardinals before Schutz and Mason Bicknase chewed up chunks of real estate before Schutz capped the sequence with a 5-yard TD run with 2:06 left in play.

Schutz finished with 112 yards on 18 carries to top Fairmont’s rushing performance of 200 yards on 38 totes, Geerdes made four catches for 57 yards and Williamson pocketed three receptions for 72 yards.

Fairmont (4-2) plays host to sectional rival Tri-City United at 7 PM Wednesday night in an Education Minnesota Week clash at Thomas Mahoney Field.

Fairmont 7 0 7 13 -- 27

Belle Plaine 0 7 0 0 -- 7

SCORING PLAYS

1st Quarter

FHS: Brayden Williamson 64 pass from Jensen Livesay (Boe Kolbe kick), 1:42.

2nd Quarter

BP: Landon Wadsley 19 pass from Reed Creighton (Adrian Grilla kick), 1:58.

3rd Quarter

FHS: Travohn Harvey 20 pass from Jensen Livesay (Boe Kolbe kick), 8:44.

4th Quarter

FHS: Jensen Livesay 15 run (kick failed), 6:46.

FHS: Keyon Schutz 5 run (Boe Kolbe kick), 2:06.

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Fairmont 18; Belle Plaine 10. Rushing: Fairmont 38-200; Belle Plaine 26-63. Passing (Comp-Att-Int-Yards): Fairmont 12-21-0-186; Belle Plaine 17-31-0-131. Fumbles-lost: Fairmont 3-2; Belle Plaine 3-0. Penalties: Fairmont 1-15; Belle Plaine 1-5.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Offense: Rushing: Keyon Schutz (FHS) 18-112, Jensen Livesay (FHS) 8-52, Mason Bicknase (FHS) 8-40; Boden Siegle (BP) 8-35. Passing: Jensen Livesay (FHS) 12-21-0-186; Reed Creighton (BP) 17-31-0-131. Receiving: Fairmont: Preston Geerdes 4-57, Brayden Williamson 3-72, Travohn Harvey 2-37. Belle Plaine: Caden Koepp 9-27, Landon Wadsley 4-40, Evan Cahalan 2-41.

Defense: Fumble recoveries: Teegan Cieluch (BP) and Boden Siegle (BP). QB sacks: Aaron Becker (FHS) 3, Vincent Schultz FHS) 1, Reed Johnson (FHS) 1; Teegan Cieluch (BP).