FAIRMONT - When Fairmont steps onto the Glencoe gridiron for tonight's 7 p.m. Section 3AAA championship football game, the two-time defending South Central Conference champions will play an unusual role - underdog.

"I'm sure that just about everybody out there is picking Glencoe-Silver Lake to win this game," said third-year Cardinal head coach Mat Mahoney, whose lineup sports an 8-2 record. "They're the three-time defending state champions, have won 23 section games in a row, have a 10-0 record and are ranked No. 1.

"While they have a lot riding on this game, we have nothing to lose. ... In the preseason, I discussed how we could possibly be in the section final against Glencoe-Silver Lake, and here we are."

Justin Heinrich, a 6-foot-4, 175-pound senior quarterback, proved one of the guiding forces behind No. 2-seeded Fairmont's 20-14 sectional semifinal victory over Dassel-Cokato last Saturday at Mahoney Field.

The Cardinals' all-time leading passer threw for a season's-best 198 yards and one touchdown, connecting with wide receivers Tyler Beck and Adam Schultz five times each for 103 and 49 yards, respectively.

"We'll have to rely on our strength, and that's our quarterback," said Mahoney. "Glencoe-Silver Lake has a fast defense that likes to fire around, so he'll have to make some big plays for us in the passing game."

Mahoney's coaching counterpart agreed.

"Heinrich does not move like most high school quarterbacks. He rolls out well to both sides, can throw off the run and can tuck it in and run, too," said second-year Panthers mentor Scott Tschimperle, who's served as the program's offensive coordinator since 1999. "Our goal will be to keep him in the pocket. He's dangerous because he has a pair of receivers who run nice patterns and can make catches in traffic."

Jonathan Ahlfs, a 6-1, 160-pound senior, will patrol the airwaves from his cornerback position in the GSL defensive secondary, with help over the top from senior free safety Jorrin Pautz. Ahlfs leads the Panthers with five interceptions on the current campaign.

Benjamin Slater, the team's leading tackler, will pack punch from his inside linebacker spot in GSL's 4-4 defensive scheme, while 6-2, 190-pound junior end Trevor Lueders will look to create pressure in the pocket. Lueders tops the Panthers with 8 1/2 quarterback sacks and three fumble recoveries.

Ironically, one will not find any of the above four defensive standouts playing on offense in tonight's sectional showdown.

"Due to being a small school (for Class AAA), they don't always get all of the great athletes, but what they get out of their athletes is great," said Mahoney.

"We put our best athletes on defense and fill in with the rest on offense," said Tschimperle. "We operate a platoon system, so we don't have any two-way starters.

"Our philosophy is to stop the other team from scoring, and then find a way to score points."

Tschimperle, however, is quite modest in his self-evaluation.

While the Panther defense has produced seven shutouts and held opponents to only 19 total points in 10 games this fall, GSL's run-oriented wishbone offense has generated a staggering 329 points.

"They run a well-balanced offense that has no tendencies," said Mahoney. "They can run power, iso, midline, throw when they have to and make very few turnovers."

Junior quarterback Kyler Anderson, who engineered the Panthers' third state crown in a row and seventh consecutive state appearances in 2008, literally puts Tschimperle's offense in motion.

Anderson has completed 42 of 64 passes for 523 yards and seven TDs, but also is double trouble having rushed 113 times for 532 yards and five TDs.

Senior halfback Aaron Lueders, who's also a key contributor to last year's state title, tops the GSL ground game with 589 yards and 18 TDs on 98 totes, while fullback Ryan Style has collected 471 yards and five TDs on 88 carries.

" ... We hope that our backs will present a triple threat for opposing defenses, and hopefully, we can spring one loose (tonight)," said Tschimperle.

Fairmont inside linebackers Conner Guetter and Kellen Fausch will hope to literally have their hands full of Panther jerseys when the two sure-handed senior tacklers step onto the Glencoe turf tonight, while the senior trio of end Weston Bremer and tackles Will Hawkins and Scott Hines will try to apply pressure to Anderson.

"Hines is a horse in the middle of their defensive line. We'll definitely need to block him and keep him out of our backfield," said Tschimperle.

The Section 3 champion will face the Section 4 winner - either De La Salle or St. Croix Lutheran - in the Class AAA state quarterfinals at 7 p.m. next Friday night at Macalester College in St. Paul.