ROCHESTER — After a year full of tough losses and injuries, the No. 6 seeded Austin football team saw its season come to an end in the same place it started as the Packers were knocked off by Rochester John Marshall 35-6 in a Section 1AAAAA quarterfinal game Wednesday.

The Packers (0-9 overall) fell behind 14-0 to start the game, but it made three straight defensive stops in a row to have a chance to get back in it. Trailing by two scores in the first quarter, Austin came up empty on a fourth and four from JM’s 11-yard line when Jany Gash couldn’t come up with a pass in the end zone and the Rockets (6-3 overall) seized momentum on Austin’s next possession when DJ Hardin picked off a pass and ran it back 40 yards for a TD with 6:04 left in the first half.

Hardin helped put the Packers away when he hauled in a 26 yard TD pass on fourth and 16 to put his team up 28-0 before halftime.

Austin had a big senior class this season with big hopes, but it didn’t work out for the Packers.

“These guys have been really great,” Austin head coach Brett Vesel said. “It’s too bad that things didn’t happen the way we wanted them to happen. They’re a great bunch of kids, I really enjoy coaching those guys and their attitudes have really been outstanding all year. We’re going to miss those guys.”

Austin sophomore running back Tabarie Gunsallus had his biggest workload for the Packers as he scored his first varsity TD and he ran for a career-best 108 yards.

“He’s only a sophomore and he ran hard,” Vesel said. “He was tough in there and he’s got a chance to be special if he works at it.”

SCORING SUMMARY

Austin 0 0 0 6 — 6

JM 14 14 7 0 — 35

First quarter

(JM) Josh Mattison 11 run (kick failed) (7 plays, 60 yards) 8:04

(JM) Jordan Velez 16 run (Shahan Ameen run) (7 plays, 69 yards) 3:58

Second quarter

(JM) DJ Hardin 40 interception return (Byrne kick) (1 play, 40 yards) 6:04

(JM) Hardin 26 pass from Jared Juth (Byrne kick) (5 plays, 37 yards) 1:59

Third quarter

(JM) Ameen 1 run (Byrne kick) (5 plays, 45 yards) 7:35

Fourth quarter

(A) Tabarie Gunsallus 5 run (kick failed) (9 plays, 53 yards) 9:39

AUSTIN STATS

Rushing: Tabarie Gunsallus, 33-for-108, TD; Nate Conner, 12-for-40; Jakob Crouch, 2-for-(-1)

Passing: Crouch, 3-for-12, 69, 4 INT; Conner, 4-for-7, 49, INT

Receiving: Conner, 2-for-65; Jason Stoulil, 3-for-34; Elijah Andersen, 1-for-17; Gunsallus, 1-for-2

Sacks: Luke Hawkshead (1)

Fumble recoveries: Pete Conner (1)

Penalties: 0-for-0

JM STATS

Rushing: 286

Passing: 26

Penalties: 6-for-60