BREAKING AWAY ­— Fairmont running back Elijah Johnson (with football) sprints by Waseca defenders Rudy Moncada (13) and Tauston Rupe (33) for a 70-yard touchdown during the second quarter of the two teams’ Section 3AAA championship game on Friday night in New Ulm. The Bluejays went on to defeat the Cardinals in overtime, 21-13. (Photo by Greg Abel)

NEW ULM — The third time proved the proverbial charm for Waseca head coach Brad Wendland and his Bluejay football team.

Laird Keeton’s pivotal pick-6, Jose Mixteco’s 10-yard touchdown in overtime and Ethan Stenzel’s fourth-down run-stop in the extra session propelled Waseca to a 21-13 victory over two-time defending champion Fairmont in the Section 3AAA title game Friday night in New Ulm.

Waseca not only overcame a 21-0 regular-season loss to the Cardinals on Oct. 18, but avenged back-to-back losses to Fairmont in both the 2021 and 2022 sectional championship games.

“Hats off to Waseca for their performance tonight,” said Fairmont head coach Mat Mahoney, whose lineup ended its season with a 9-2 record. “It’s very hard to beat a program the caliber of Waseca three times in a row in the sectional finals.

“Elijah Johnson turned in an incredible rushing performance for us tonight, but we just couldn’t come away with the overtime win.”

Johnson amassed a game-best 174 of the Cardinals’ 197 yards of total offense and accounted for both of Fairmont’s TDs on the night.

Waseca (9-2) advances to face No. 1-ranked Stewartville (11-0) in a 7 p.m. Class AAA state quarterfinal on Saturday, Nov. 11, at Hastings High School. Stewartville roared by Rochester Lourdes, 34-7, for the Section 1 crown.

“It’s appropriate that our defense made the final play of the game and kept Fairmont out of the end zone in the overtime,” Wendland said in reference to defensive lineman Ethan Stenzel’s game-clinching tackle for a 6-yard loss on Fairmont’s fourth-and-goal run from the 1-yard line during the second possession of the overtime.

Mixteco staked Waseca to a 19-13 lead with a 10-yard scamper around left end on the very first snap of the extra session. Quarterback Jordan Johnston, who topped the Bluejays’ ground game with 113 yards on 16 totes, hammered home the key two-point conversion run for an eight-point lead during the first sequence of overtime.

“We leaned on our defense to keep us in the game all night long,” said Wendland. “Just look — our defense scored our first points of the game on Laird Keeton’s pick-6 to open the third quarter. That interception really changed the game’s momentum at the time.”

Indeed. Elijah Johnson’s 70-yard TD sprint proved the only offensive highlight for either team and staked Fairmont to a 7-0 halftime lead. Kellen Stenzel kicked the PAT for the Cardinals at the 11:09 juncture of the second quarter.

Keeton countered by returning Fairmont quarterback Blaze Geiger’s pick 12 yards to the end zone at the 11:09 mark of the third period. Zach Hulscher evened the score at 7-all by connecting for his PAT kick.

Cardinal linebacker Caleb Chambers quickly countered by scooping up the Bluejays’ fumbled punt four plays later at the Waseca 26-yard line.

Elijah Johnson needed just three carries by pound out the TD, capped by a 9-yard sprint around right end. Kellen Stenzel’s PAT kick, however, hit the upright to leave the score at 13-7 with 7:25 left in the third quarter.

After the two teams traded a pair of offensive series that did not produce any points, Waseca assembled an eight-play, 79-yard scoring drive strictly on the productive legs of Jordan Johnston and Mixteco.

Johnston delivered a clutch 22-yard run in the series and capped the drive with another 22-yarder into the end zone with 6 minutes remaining in regulation. An over-the-head long snap resulted in a tie at 13-all.

Elijah Johnson fueled Fairmont’s march from its own 35 to the Waseca 24, but an incompletion on fourth-and-four ended regulation.

in the overtime, each team received the ball at the opposing 10, with each receiving only four downs.

Mixteco finished with 80 yards and one TD on 13 carries for the Bluejays.

Hadan Toomer pocketed his team-best sixth interception of the season during the first half for the Cardinals, while Deron Russell made a first-half pick for the Bluejays.

WAS   0 0 7 6 8 — 21

FMT   0 7 6 0 0 — 13

Scoring Plays

1st Quarter

No Scoring.

2nd Quarter

FMT–Elijah Johnson 70 run (Kellen Stenzel kick), 11:09.

3rd Quarter

WAS–Laird Keeton 12 interception return (Zach Hulscher kick), 11:09.

FMT–Elijah Johnson 9 run (kick failed), 7:25.

4th Quarter

WAS–Jordan Johnston 22 run (high snap on conversion), 6:00.

Overtime

WAS–Jose Mixteco 10 run (Jordan Johnston run).

TEAM STATISTICS

First downs: Waseca 11; Fairmont 8. Rushing: Waseca 32-192; Fairmont 45-189. Passing: Waseca 4-16-1-47; Fairmont 2-6-2-8. Fumbles-lost: Fairmont 1-0; Waseca 1-1. Penalties: Fairmont 5-43; Waseca 1-15.

INDIVIDUAL STATS

Offense: Rushing: Elijah Johnson (FMT) 33-174; Jordan Johnston (WAS) 16-113, Jose Mixteco (WAS) 13-80. Passing: Blaze Geiger (FMT) 2-6-2-8; Jordan Johnston (WAS) 4-15-1-47. Receiving: Levi Pooley (FMT) 3-8; Laird Keeton (WAS) 1-25, Tauston Rupe (WAS) 1-10.

Defense: Interceptions: Deron Russell (WAS), Hadan Toomer (FMT) and Laird Keeton (WAS). Fumble recovery: Caleb Chambers (FMT).