Card to Watch - Week 4 Preview
Fairmont faces Austin in home football opener
By Charlie Sorrells
Web Prep Writer
FAIRMONT – Fairmont mentor Mat Mahoney and Austin head coach Ed Schmitt face the inevitable tasks of solving their respective seasonal conundrums when the Cardinals (1-2) play their home football opener against the Packers (0-3) at Thomas Mahoney Field at 7 PM Friday night.
For the first time in 3 weeks, the Cardinals will not have to make an hour or more bus drive in hopes of halting their two-game losing streak and even more rare – back-to-back shutouts.
While Fairmont generated just 93 total yards of offense – 58 on the ground – during Week 3’s 28-0 loss to Class AAA No. 4-ranked Waseca, freshman Ryder Thate’s 44-yard rushing performance on six carries during the fourth quarter proved promising for the Cardinals.
“We’re not hitting the panic button or making a lot of drastic changes because we’ve lost two games in a row,” said Mahoney, whose program has produced seven state appearances and 17 winning seasons during his 20-year tenure at Fairmont. “Honestly, we went back to the basics on both sides of the line of scrimmage in practice this week.
“Offensively, we need to create our identity by running the football better, and defensively, we have to improve our tackling a bit but have been solid throughout our first three games. We’ve had to clean up our personnel on special teams because their effort has been unacceptable to this point.”
While Fairmont has lost 5 of its last 6 games dating back to the 2025 season, Austin faces the daunting task of stopping its current nine-game losing skid – including a late breakdown last Thursday night that allowed Worthington to score 20 points in the second half to transform a 26-13 Packers’ lead into a 33-26 Trojans’ win.
“On film, it looked like Austin had things in control, but they committed a couple of turnovers down the stretch and Worthington capitalized to pull off the comeback win,” said Mahoney, whose team kicked off the fall with a 34-0 triumph over the Trojans. “A mistake here, a penalty there, a missed tackle there and a missed block there can really swing the momentum of a game in a hurry.
“In all honesty, we’re not analyzing film that closely this week, but focusing on Fairmont 100 percent. It doesn’t matter who we play and what they’ve done during the first three games. It all begins with us fixing us.”
Fairmont’s defense – which limited Waseca to only seven first-half points last Friday night – will have to keep an eye on Austin quarterback Eli Arndt, who tossed three touchdown passes during the Packers’ seven-point loss in Week 3. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Arndt connected with Dax Boverhuis on a 15-yard score, a 17-yarder TD completion to Jamison Bastyr and a 28-yard scoring strike to Talan Hall a week ago. Running back Keon Adams generated 67 yards on 14 carries for Austin, while Matthew Felten produced 36 of his 45 yards on the ground via a TD run.
End Karter Eastvold collected a pair of quarterback sacks to top the Packers’ defensive effort against the Trojans, linebacker David Demro pocketed an interception and Boverhuis scooped up a Worthington fumble from his cornerback position.
“It doesn’t matter what’s happened in the past couple of weeks, we’d better be prepared – including myself and my coaches – for the task at hand Friday night,” said Mahoney.
Austin enters Week 4 having lost 26 of its previous 28 games dating back to the 2023 campaign.
FAIRMONT STARTERS
OFFENSE
QB: #14 Jensen Livesay, 6-4, 205, Senior
RB: #30 Keyon Schutz, 5-11, 190, Junior
WR: #7 Brayden Williamson, 5-9, 155, Senior
WR: #6 Owen Terfehr, 6-2, 180, Senior
LT: #51 Vincent Schultz, 6-4, 175, Senior
LG: #59 Craig Schultze, 6-1, 255, Junior
C: #55 Reed Johnson, 6-5, 200, Senior
RG: #69 Luther Malo, 6-2, 240, Junior
RT: #70 Max Nielsen, 6-3, 275, Senior
TE: #81 Preston Geerdes, 6-4, 210, Junior
WR: #1 Travohn Harvey, 6-3, 145, Senior
DEFENSE
DE: #51 V. Schultz
DT: #69 Malo
NG: #74 Ethan Farnum, 6-2, 350, Senior
DE: #55 R. Johnson
LB: #5 Mason Bicknase, 6-2, 185, Junior
LB: #19 Caiden Utesch, 5-11, 175, Senior
NKL: #6 Terfehr
CB: #23 Boe Kolbe, 6-0, 160, Freshman
CB: #1 Harvey
SS: #7 Williamson
FS: #10 Landon Traetow, 6-0, 155, Senior
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AUSTIN STARTERS (No Heights or Weights Provided)
OFFENSE
QB: #12 Eli Arndt, Junior
RB: #1 Keon Adams, Senior
WB: #27Jake O’Harra, Senior
SE: #15 Jamison Bastyr, Senior
LT: #64 Simon Pischke, Sophomore
LG: #77 Terrell Brown, Senior
C: #72 Nguon Bol, Junior
RG: #55 Uriah Johnson, Sophomore
RT: #52 Micah Durham, Junior
TE: #20 Karter Eastvold, Junior
SE: #17 Elijah Lewis, Junior
DEFENSE
DE: #27 O’Harra
DT: #35 Alexander Martinez, Junior
DT: #75 Plo Htoo, Junior
DE: #20 Eastvold
LB: #4 David Demro, Junior
LB: #6 Calvin Bambrick, Junior
NKL: #15 Bastyr
CB: #8 Dax Boverhuis, Senior
CB: #28 Matthew Felten, Junior
S: #5 Lukas Jorgenson, Senior
S: #24 Aidan Swenson, Senior
#74 Ethan Farnum
6-2, 350 Senior
Nose Guard
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. 2026 marks the 21st 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 Closed
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.”