The Austin Packers Boys Soccer team is having a nice run of games.

Tuesday, September 12, 2000

The Austin Packers Boys Soccer team is having a nice run of games. After beginning the season with six losses they have gone 2-0-1 in their last three games. Monday, the Packers beat Mankato East 3-1 on three second half goals.

The Packers used an offense that sent players on runs towards the goal with through balls they could catch up with and turn into shots on goal.

"We have been working on runs we used today in our last three practices," Austin coach David Graham said.

The offense was perfect for a windy day and Austin had the wind behind them in the first half. The Packers dominated play but couldn’t get a ball behind East goalie Ben Metcalfe.

East did score, however, aided by the wind. East popped a ball high up in the penalty area which disorganized the Austin defense and allowed Jose Alba to score. The wind died down just a little to begin the second half.

"Having the wind die down gave us a chance to control the ball again," Graham said.

They certainly did control it, outshooting East 11-3 in the second half. Austin’s first big scoring chance came via a penalty kick. Jesse Morgan was fouled seven minutes into the half. Jon Ruhnke took the penalty kick, making a hard shot that went wide right.

Ruhnke kept on hustling and being aggressive after the missed opportunity. He had another great opportunity a few moments later when he raced for a free ball out in front of the goalkeeper. The goalkeeper made a rolling block of Ruhnke thwarting that chance. Ruhnke finally got on the score board at the 25:19 mark of the half. Drew Oesterle sent Jim Reetz on a run. Reetz dribbled down the field 20 yards and took a hard shot that the Metcalfe could only punch away. It went right to Ruhnke who hammered in the rebound.

Josh Hansen made it 2-1 11 minutes later. He out muscled and out ran his defender on another long ramble to get himself open one-on-one against Metcalfe and he easily put the ball behind the East goalkeeper.

The combo of Ruhnke and Oesterle put the game away with 4:15 left. A perfect Ruhnke pass set up Oesterle free deep in the East zone where he one-timed the ball for the score.

"He made a perfect run," Ruhnke said.

"It was a perfect pass," Oesterle said. "I knew I could beat the goalie. I just made a sliding shot to get it past him."

Austin (2-6-1, 2-4) is at Albert Lea Thursday looking to continue its recent run of success.

Girls down East

The Austin girls hit the back of the net early and often against East in Mankato Monday afternoon. A Katy McClain goal five minutes into the game began the scoring barrage for Austin on its way to a 7-0 win.

Austin scored four goals in the first half and three in the second. McClain, Mel Gabrielson, and Amber Toporek all scored two goals in the game. Lia Middlebrook added the other.

Freshman goalkeeper Kelly Momsen recorded the shutout.

"She had a dozen saves in the game," Austin coach Mark Raymond said. "One showed how well she is maturing in goal. She cut down the angle and then made a nice diving save."

The Packers (2-4, 1-4) host Northfield at 4:30 today. All school activities have to be completed by 6 p.m. on an election day.