Fairmont finished 8-14 last season under new co-head coach Scott Nuss in his first year with the program, and the season ended with a lopsided 13-0 loss to Mankato West in the Section 3A Playoffs Quarterfinal. Fairmont now graduates two of its top three scorers and its starting goaltender, but the team’s No. 2 scorer from last season returns to anchor a young, rebuilding roster.
Players Lost to Graduation
Fairmont graduates nine seniors, and the losses are concentrated heavily at the top of the lineup.
Klay Beemer (F) led the team, posting 18 goals and 16 assists for 34 points in 22 games, with 2 power-play goals and a power-play assist, plus 2 game-winners.
Gavin Kester (F) was the team’s No. 3 scorer, finishing with 20 goals and 7 assists for 27 points, adding 2 power-play goals, 3 power-play assists and 3 short-handed goals. Beemer and Kester combined for 61 points — a significant amount of production for Fairmont to replace.
Dayton Draper (F) adds 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points with a power-play assist, while Axel Chapman (D) contributes 2 goals and 5 assists for 7 points with a power-play goal and 2 power-play assists.
Jase Meade (F) posted 3 goals for 3 points with a power-play goal and a game-winner, Logan Madsen (D) added 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points, and Mack Anderson (D) contributed 3 assists. Parker Schwandt (F) and Noah Bettin (F) round out the departing forward group without recorded points last season.
In net, Brandon Hector (G) graduates after carrying the primary workload, posting a 6-11 record with a 6.00 GAA and a .841 save percentage in 19 appearances.
Returning Players for 2026-27
With Beemer and Kester both departing, Fairmont’s offense turns to last season’s No. 2 scorer to lead the way, alongside a young supporting cast still finding its footing.
Top Returning Scorers
Preston Cepress (F), a senior next season, returns as Fairmont’s leading returning scorer and was the team’s actual No. 2 scorer last season, posting 11 goals and 17 assists for 28 points in 21 games, with a power-play goal, 3 power-play assists, a short-handed goal, a short-handed assist and 2 game-winners.
Noah Meixell (D), a senior next season, adds 1 goal and 8 assists for 9 points, with a power-play assist, a short-handed assist and a game-winner.
Preston Geerdes (F), a junior next season, returns after an 8-point season (3 goals, 5 assists) with a power-play assist and a short-handed assist.
Caleb Meyer (D), a senior next season, posted 2 goals and 4 assists for 6 points, with a power-play goal and 2 power-play assists, plus a game-winner.
Huner Olson (F), a senior next season, contributes 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points, with a power-play assist and a game-winner.
Among other returning skaters, Tyler Pankow (D), a junior next season, added 1 goal and 2 assists for 3 points with a short-handed assist, and Lucas Kotewa (F), a junior next season, posted 2 goals for 2 points with a power-play goal.
Returning Defense Core
With Axel Chapman, Logan Madsen and Mack Anderson all graduating, the blue line shifts to Noah Meixell and Caleb Meyer, who combined for 15 points last season. Tyler Pankow also returns after a 3-point season. This is a young group that will need to grow quickly to help offset the significant losses on the back end.
Goaltending Situation
With Brandon Hector graduating, Kaiden Olson (G), a senior next season, is positioned to take over as the primary option. Olson posted a 2-3 record with a 7.88 GAA and a .751 save percentage in 7 appearances last season. Both goaltenders faced a difficult workload last year, and establishing more consistency in net will be an important storyline for Fairmont heading into 2026-27.
Players to Watch
Preston Cepress is the clear headliner, stepping into the role of Fairmont’s top scorer after a 28-point season as a junior. Preston Geerdes and Caleb Meyer give the program some additional returning pieces to build around. With a first-year coaching staff now heading into year two, continued program development will be a central theme of the season.
Key Players to Replace
Fairmont’s offseason priorities center on:
- Klay Beemer’s 34-point season and complete offensive game
- Gavin Kester’s 27-point season and finishing ability
- Brandon Hector’s full-season workload in net
2026-27 Outlook
Fairmont faces a continued rebuild in 2026-27, losing two of its top three scorers and its starting goaltender from an already difficult season. Preston Cepress gives the program a legitimate building block after a 28-point junior season, and a young supporting cast in Noah Meixell, Preston Geerdes and Caleb Meyer will be looked to for larger roles. Section 3A is widely regarded as one of the more competitive proving grounds in Class A, and Fairmont’s path forward will likely depend on continued development under second-year leadership from its coaching staff.
Statistics reflect the 2025-26 regular season and Section 3A playoffs as provided. Have something for us? our email is always open ftphockey@gmail.com
