Packers eliminated after a late surge by Falcons
Published 11:19 pm Tuesday, October 24, 2023
Austin’s Sam Ewing (5) and Lukas Jorgenson (59) close in as Robert Lillis (51) brings down a Falcon ball carrier in Faribault Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Jamal Faux escapes a tackle in Faribault Tuesday night. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Packers and Falcons battle at the line scrimmage under immense showers in the first half of Austin’s playoff loss to Faribault Tuesday night. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Garlo Gee breaks loose on a run against the Falcons. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Peyton Ransom is pulled down by a Faribault defender. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Dakota Retterath drops back to pass in Faribault Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Mission Duop (79) tries to provide a push up front as Garlo Gee is topped on a goaline play. Rocky Hulne/sports@uaustindailyherald.com
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FARIBAULT – The Packers were on the doorstep of their first playoff win since 2017, but things went downhill in the late moments as the the football team fell short to the No. 4 seeded Falcons 22-14 in a Section 1AAAA quarterfinal Tuesday night.
The Falcons scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the game and Austin’s final drive came up short when Peyton Ransom was tackled one yard short of a first down on a fourth and six from Faribault’s 24-yard line with less than a minute left.
It was a tough final moment for the No. 5 Packers, who played much of the game without quarterback Dakota Retterath, who was injured in the second half, and senior lineman Mason Callahan, who was ejected in the first quarter.
Austin head coach Ed Schmitt liked the fight that his team showed while being short handed.
“I’m very, very proud of what this team did tonight,” Schmitt said. “You have a two way starter out of the game and then you have your quarterback injured and he’s out of the game. In the last couple of the drives, eight out of our 11 guys were underclassmen and a lot of them were sophomores and freshmen. I told them to thank the seniors for what they did and when we look back, this will be the team that turned it around for us.”
Austin (1-8 overall) took a 14-6 lead when Garlo Gee busted out for a 20-yard TD run in the third quarter, and the Packers drove inside Faribault’s five-yard line on their ensuing possession. But Faribault (4-5 overall) stopped Austin at the three-yard line and went 97 yards to tie the game when JT Hausen scored on a 14-yard run on fourth and three with 4:54 left in the game. Austin fumbled under heavy rain on the first play of its next possession and the Falcons took the lead for good when Joey Steiberg scored on an eight-yard run with 3:21 left.
Austin was on the verge of going up two scores in the first half when a touchdown pass to Peyton Ransom was called back due to a holding penalty. Before the Packers knew it, they had been called for two straight holding penalties and two unsportsmanlike conducts.
That drive came up empty and the Packers had to make a goal line stand at the end of the first half to preserve their 6-0 lead.
Austin ends its season on a seven-game losing streak.
SCORING SUMMARY
Austin 6 0 8 0 – 14
Faribault 0 0 6 16 – 22
First quarter
(A) Dakota Retterath (run failed) (10 plays, 41 yards) 3:56
Second quarter
No scoring
Third quarter
(F) Jayden Hart 62 run (run failed) (1 play, 62 yards) 11:50
(A) Garlo Gee 20 run (Jamal Faux run) (4 plays, 65 yards) 7:56
Fourth quarter
(F) JT Hausen 14 run (Hart run) (16 plays, 97 yards) 4:54
(F) Joey Steiberg 8 run (5 plays, 34 yards) (Hart run) 3:21
AUSTIN STATS
Rushing: Garlo Gee, 18-for-106, TD; Dakota Retterath, 14-for-35, TD; Jamal Faux, 3-for-7
Passing: Retterath, 3-for-9, 29; Faux, 2-for-4, 42
Receiving: Isaac Osgood, 1-for-37; Tyler Carter, 1-for-24; Payton Ransom, 2-for-16; Sam Winkels, 1-for-4
Austin defense: Eric Blust, 1 fumble recovery; Granger Johnson, 1 fumble recovery
