Todd Krupicka stood outside a closed red door leading to a rousing Austin locker room.

Wednesday, October 27, 1999

Todd Krupicka stood outside a closed red door leading to a rousing Austin locker room.

"They’re so happy in there," said Krupicka, the sophomore center who took over midway through the season for injured senior starter Mike Kinney. "This game was for the seniors."

It was also for the right to play in a Section 1AAAA semifinal against Northfield on Saturday.

So, with their season on the line Tuesday, the Austin Packers responded for the third time in as many games by coasting to a 55-41 victory over Rosemount.

The win was the Packers (3-6) first at Wescott Field this season. It was also their last. Austin will be on the road from here on out, no matter how far they travel down the playoff path.

The game was never as close as the score appears. At the end of the third quarter, Austin was on top of a 41-13 blowout.

A Mickey-Mouse fourth quarter orchestrated by Rosemount coach Jeff Erdmann, a stat-padder who refuses to play anyone but his starters, closed the gap.

But the only real doubt lingering late in the game was whether or not the Packers would boast three 100-yard rushers by game’s end.

Austin’s senior running back trio of Preston Horton, Mike Cunningham and Brian Heimer rushed for 401 yards.

As it turned out, only Horton reached the century mark. And he blew it up, carrying 24 times for 238 yards and five touchdowns.

Coach Steve Knox repeatedly called for sweeps to Horton, who was so elusive the coach likened his bullet back to a waterbug.

"We knew the sweeps would work," Knox said. "We studied tapes for 12 to 15 hours and found their weaknesses, found what worked for other teams."

Nine of Horton’s rushes went for more than 10 yards, four for more than 20.

"The sweep was working," Horton said. "I knew we’d try it once or twice. But it was open so we kept running it."

Austin defensive coach Randy Smith admired Horton’s performance.

"It doesn’t make a difference if guys have the angle on him," Smith said. "He gets to the corner and kicks it into another gear."

Ironically, Horton’s first rush drew criticism from Knox. After the back’s first carry went for a mere 2 yards, Knox barked, "He’s got to cut it upfield."

No problem. Especially behind guards Ryan Binder and Chad Mentel, both of whom are called on to pull on Horton’s sweeps.

"The guards did a great job of getting out in front and clearing the way," Knox said.

Horton’s sweeps set up a soft middle, where Cunningham and Heimer did most of their damage.

Cunningham rushed for 97 yards on 13 carries, including a 33-yard TD run to give Austin a commanding 28-7 halftime lead.

Heimer’s 42-yard jailbreak late in the fourth was the final insult.

"We just wanted to keep trying to build points," said Krupicka, who blocked a punt in the fourth.

Austin QB Tanner Schieck, who has looked oh-so-sharp lately in the Albert Lea win and the near upset of John Marshall, completed just 1-of-6 passes in what amounted to a token passing game for Austin.

But while the Packers needed only to rely on the rush, Rosemount went to the air more than 40 times.

Starting QB Brad Nelson finished 15-for-42 for 300 yards.

But most of that came after the Packers built their biggest lead at 41-13.

Prior to the fourth quarter, when Nelson began facing a revolving door of Austin substitutes, the Packers snuffed Nelson and Rosemount’s wide-receiver- heavy spread offense.

Nelson started the game just 3-of-16.

He was badgered all game by Austin’s pursuing lineman and linebackers.

Austin’s Bill Nagle, who had a license to blitz from Knox if there wasn’t a back in the Fighting Irish’s backfield, led the Austin charge. Nagle finished with a game-high nine tackles and one of three Austin sacks. Mentel had a sack and so did Kevin Maus, who split his sack with James Knoebel.

Maus kept constant pressure on the athletic Nelson, whose quick feet allowed him to escape trouble time and again.

"For us seniors," Nagle said, "we just didn’t want our careers to end.

"We want to keep playing as long as we can."

That’s at least four more days.

"In my eyes," Horton said. "we’re 1-0.

"We’re playing like a 5A team."

Austin 6 22 13 14 – 55

Rosemount 0 7 6 28 – 41

First quarter

Austin – Brian Heimer 3-yard run (pass failed), 4:02.

Second quarter

Aus. – Preston Horton 3 run (Tanner Schieck run), 10:21.

Rose. – David Thongsavath 47 run (Graham Kleng kick), 9:01.

Aus. – Horton 3 run (Matt Smith pass from Schieck), 3:22.

Aus. – Mike Cunningham 33 run (pass failed), 1:24.

Third quarter

Aus. – Horton 38 run (Cunningham kick), 9:15.

Rose. – Thomas Hornisch 19 pass from Brad Nelson (pass failed), 6:42.

Aus. – Horton 5 run (Kick failed), 1:26.

Fourth quarter

Aus. – Horton 7 run (Bryan Burmeister kick), 11:53.

Rose. – Nick Ferguson 15 run (Nelson pass from Ferguson), 6:29.

Rose. – Sam Giliuson 49 pass from Nelson (Nelson pass from Christopher Orr), 6:17.

Rose. – Nelson 4 pass from Orr (run failed), 1:33.

Aus. – Heimer 42 run (Burmeister kick), 1:15.

Rose. – Nelson 9 pass from Orr, 0:00.