Huskies start fast to spoil Austin's Homecoming

Rocky Hulne, Austin Daily Herald, Minn.
·3 min read

Sep. 24—The Packer football team found itself in an early hole, but it was able to put together a respectable second half as it lost to Owatonna 34-7 on Homecoming night in Art Hass Stadium Friday.

Connor Grems broke off an 80-yard TD run on Owatonna's first play from scrimmage and Drew Kretlow added a 10-yard TD run to make it 14-0 after the Packers were stopped on a fourth down play near midfield on their first drive.

Owatonna (2-2 overall) went on to take a 34-0 lead into halftime.

"You're pumped up and that (big run) happens on the first play. These are kids and that took the wind out of our sails a bit," Austin head coach Ed Schmitt said. "Owatonna's big, strong and fast. But I thought we'd give them a much better fight in the first half than we did."

The Packers scored their lone touchdown of the night when Jack Lang hit Manny Guy on a 45-yard TD pass early in the second half.

After surrendering three touchdowns in the first quarter, the Packer defense buckled down. Besides shutting out the Huskies in the second half, Austin racked up four sacks and two interceptions.

Dakota Retterath nearly cut Owatonna's lead to 20 when he picked off a pass in the flats and ran it back 76 yards to the two-yard line in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately for Austin, the Packers fumbled the ball away on a third and goal play from the one-yard line.

"I challenged the guys at halftime," Schmitt said. "I said they can roll over and die and keep giving up points, or they can keep fighting and win the second half. We won the second half and that's something to build off of. We've got to start the way we finish. We've got to start fast in all of our games."

Tommy Fritz ran for 88 yards for Austin (1-3 overall) and Mason O'Callahan had two sacks.

SCORING

SUMMARY

Owatonna 21 13 0 0 — 34

Austin 0 0 7 0 — 7

First quarter

(O) Conner Grems 80 run (Drew Henson kick) (1 play, 80 yards) 11:48

(O) Drew Kretlow 10 run (Henson kick) (7 plays, 63 yards) 3:46

(O) Germs 21 run (Hanson kick) (3 plays, 35 yards) 1:31

Second quarter

(O) Owen Beyer 28 pas from Jacob Ginskey (Henson kick) (3 plays, 35 yards) 1:31

(O) Henson 45 field goal (4 plays, 20 yards) 4:16

(O) Henson 26 field goal (6 plays, 50 yards) :03

Third quarter

Manny Guy (Joe Ewing kick) (1 play, 45 yards) 10:14

Fourth quarter

No scoring

AUSTIN

STATS

Rushing: Tommy Fritz, 14-for-88; Jeremiha Landry, 4-for-8; Jack Lang, 3-for-(-4); Isaac Osgood, 1-for-(-3); Toby Holtz, 1-for-0

Passing: Jack Lang, 8-for-25, 123, TD, INT

Receiving: Manny Guy, 2-for-53, TD; Osgood, 2-for-48; Brayden Bishop, 3-for-21; Peyton Ransom, 1-for-2

Defense: Sam Eyre, 1 interception; Dakota Retterath, 1 interception; Brady Bishop, 1 fumble recovery; Mason Callahan, 2 sacks; Sam Winkels, 1 sack; Antoine Jones, 1 sack

Penalties: 5-for-55

OWATONNA STATS

Rushing: 180

Passing: 132

Penalties: 2-for-20