The Austin boys basketball team will host its home opener when Mankato West (4-0 overall) comes into Packer Gym Thursday at 7:30 p.m. and the Packers have to be feeling comfortable.

Not only have the No. 3 ranked Packers won their first three games to start this season, they’ve won their last 40 regular season games and they’ve won 26 straight home games.

The last time Austin lost a regular season game was when it fell to Minneapolis Washburn 87-67 Feb. 4, 2012 and the last time it lost a home game was a 57-55 loss to Rochester Century on March 4, 2011.

To put that in perspective, this year’s seniors were freshmen the last time the team lost a home game and only Zach Wessels was on the varsity team that year. That means Austin seniors Bret Lukes, Ajuda Nywesh, Jacob Kempen and Curtis Oberbroeckling have yet to taste defeat on their home court in their varsity basketball careers.

I’m not writing this column to jinx the Packers or set them up for a loss, I’m simply pointing out a really impressive streak.

It takes more than just a few players to win that many games in a row at any level. It takes an entire team working together and staying dedicated. It also takes an endless drive to get better and improve your game.

In the winter season, everyone has an off night. There are simply nights were the shots aren’t falling and the energy isn’t there.

To find a drive to win on those nights takes true grit and dedication to the sport. The fact that the Packers haven’t lost a non-state tournament game in two and a half years shows how many hard working, quality players have come through Austin High School and shows that they take their sport pretty seriously.

Eventually Austin’s regular season winning streak will end and eventually their home winning streak will end, that’s just the way it is. But whenever that happens, I hope that anyone played any role in the streak can look back and have pride in what they did.

If you would’ve told me after Austin lost at Washburn in 2012 that their only two losses in the next two years would be in the state quarterfinals and state finals, I would not have believed you.

It’s still hard to believe when I look back at it.

The other factor in Austin’s home winning streak has been the Packer fans. The student section has become a loud, frenzied group of fans that have kept games interesting and Packer Gym has been nearly at capacity many times over the past few years.

It’ll be interesting to see if the team can continue to draw big crowds that help swing momentum in the Packers’ favor.

Thursday is the first chance for fans to do that.

Let’s see how long the streak can go.