Our house, our time: Packers blank Komets in Section 1A semifinals
Published 9:40 pm Saturday, October 11, 2014
Austin’s Shane Johannsen moves the ball past Kasson-Mantorville’s Andy Plein during the first half of their playoff game Saturday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Over the years, Austin senior Roel Torres has played a lot of soccer games at Art Hass Stadium. The one he played on Saturday night in the Section 1A semifinals may have been in his best yet.
Torres scored two early goals and the No. 2 seeded Packers blanked No. 3 Kasson-Mantorville 2-0 to advance to the Section 1A finals. Austin will play Rochester Lourdes at RCTC Stadium Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. with a trip to the Class A state tournament on the line.
Austin’s Roel Torres leaps past Kasson-Mantorville’s Sam Wing during the first half of their playoff game Saturday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Torres opened the scoring when he pulled a shot against the grain and put it into the net with 35:57 left in the first half and he added another goal just three minutes later. Last Saturday, Torres also scored on a PK to beat KM (16-3 overall) in a regular season contest.
“It was like Derek Jeter’s baseball career. It was the final game, the last time in our house and it had a great ending,” Torres said. “Last game [KM’s Sam Wing] was marked up on me and he never left me alone. This time I managed to get away and I got some shots to help the team.”
KM actually had the first good look of the night as they missed a shot of the cross bar in the first minute of the contest, but the Packers (9-8-2 overall) dominated from that point as they out-shot the KoMets 15-8. The Packers have 13 seniors on their roster and they weren’t about to lose their last game in Art Hass Stadium.
“They heard that whistle and it was go time,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said. “We’ve had other games this season where that hasn’t been the case. They know how they’re capable of playing, they wanted to do it and I think the scoreboard definitely reflects that today.”
KM’s best scoring chance in the second half came when Andy Plein missed a PK with 17:26 left in the contest. Gach Gach stopped all eight of the shots he saw and he said the pressure was off of him once the Packers got off to a quick start.
“I like it when we score first,” Gach said. “When we scored two, I knew I wouldn’t let them score two and it was in the bag. Roy played a great game.”
Austin’s Alex Evenson challenges Kasson-Mantorville’s Andy Plein during the first half of their playoff game Saturday at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers will now focus on a rematch with top-seeded Rochester Lourdes, which beat Winona 1-0 on Saturday. Lourdes (14-5 overall) beat the Packers 1-0 Sept. 20.
“It’s going to be a battle,” Levisen said. “They’re a competitive team and we’re coming out to show that we’re a competitive team. We’ll be looking to come out and play to the best of our ability. I’m confident in my players. When they pass the ball and move as a team, they’ve shown that they’re very capable.”
Gach said he’s expecting another close game as the Packers and Eagles battle for a trip to the Class A state tournament on Tuesday.”
“We expect it to be a good game,” he said. “One goal will decide it and we hope to get that goal.”
