There was Josh Wacholz.

Friday, March 10, 2000

There was Josh Wacholz. In the middle of it all. Rejoicing. In the arms of teammates one moment. Bathing in a pool of John Marshall fans the next.

In the moments before the victory shower, Wacholz slayed Austin’s season by closing out Thursday’s Section 1AAA quarterfinal game with a personal six-point series of clutch shots that lifted the Rockets to a 65-63 win on the Packers’ home floor.

"In that situation," said Wacholz, a 6-foot, 3-inch senior guard, "it’s my job to take over the game – to do whatever I can to help the team win."

While Wacholz, who finished with a game-high 25, did his part in breathtaking fashion, the Packers played the victim one last time in a season of promise gone south.

"I’m still stunned," Austin guard Brent Holck said. "I didn’t know we’d be able to give up that many baskets late in the game.

"Every time we came down and hit a shot, they wiped it away."

Fourth-seeded Austin (13-10) entered the game with No. 5 John Marshall (11-12) well within its rights to pummel the Rockets, who, when the teams last met, handed the Packers their heads in a 24-point JM win.

But revenge never came. The Packers couldn’t seperate from John Marshall.

The Packers had trouble seperating from teams all year, rarely allowing themselves luxuries like 10- or 20-point cushions

"We’re just not an explosive offensive team," said Austin coach Kris Fadness, who lived through his share of down-the-stretch failures this season against the likes of top rivals Owatonna, Faribault and Mayo – none of which Austin defeated.

The season that was to be Brian Elwer’s sweet swan song became the season of the senior center’s discontent.

"We didn’t deliver like everybody thought we would," said Elwer, who, with 21 points, closed the books on his career total of 1,059, the school standard. "We didn’t deliver like we thought we would. It’s disappointing."

Elwer added later that he had no regrets when it came to his career.

Through an ugly 8-8 first quarter and a 26-25 first half that belonged to JM, Austin’s biggest regrets had to be 3-of-7 free-throw shooting and one five-shot possession that ended empty.

Upon entering the fourth quarter trailing 47-41, the Packers had to lament missing four in-close layups in the third quarter.

Yet those small failures faded from short-term memory as the Packers closed the gap come crunch time.

You could credit junior Zach Tufte for getting Austin back in the fight.

He scored eight of the Packers’ 12 points as they climbed from 39 points to 51. His fall-away baseline jumper pulled Austin to within 52-51.

Elwer hit a pair of free throws to give Austin a 53-52 edge, before JM rode a 6-0 run to 58-53.

In retrospect, "that little run killed us," Fadness said.

But in real time, the Packers responded, getting an Elwer bucket and a Nick Rohne three pointer to quickly close the gap.

Then Wacholz rose up.

He sank a pair of free throws in the calm before the final furious minute of play.

Holck tied it at 60 when he followed up an Elwer miss and red bedlam followed.

Wacholz quieted the crowd with a three bomb as the clock showed 25 seconds.

Tufte then turned it over, dribbling off his foot, but Rohne eased the recovery by stealing the Rockets’ in-bounds pass in the JM backcourt.

With his team trailing by three, Rohne took the fresh steal with him as he stepped behind the three-point line and let fly the last jumper of his prep career – a jumper that tied it at 63.

As the net shook, Austin players clammored to call their final timeout.

But neither the Rockets, nor the referees thought anything of Austin’s efforts.

Pat Cummings zipped an outlet to Wacholz, who was near midcourt. Wacholz collected the pass and drove hard to the hoop, converting an easy layup.

"After the three went in for them, Pat found me," Wacholz said. "I had an open look and went straight to the hole."

Seven small seconds remained when Austin finally got its timeout.

In the huddle, Fadness told Tufte to get the ball to the hoop – anyway, anyhow.

The junior point guard drove the length of the court, before having his shot blocked by Erik Ahlstrom.

There was no foul.

Soon Wacholz was swept up by a wave of teammates.

When the JM tide finally rolled off the court and retreated into the locker room, there was nothing left of Austin’s season.

John Marshall (65)

Pat Cummings 6, Ryan Steele 2, Terrelle Wilson 2, Mark Clarey 4, Reeves Koster 4, Josh Wacholz 25, Mike Hardy 4, Erik Ahlstrom 13, Ryan Hovis 5. Free throws 17-of-23. Three pointers: 3 (Wacholz 2, Clarey).

Austin (63)

Brent Holck 5, Zach Tufte 9, Nick Rohne 12, Tanner Schieck 7, Andy Erichson 2, Matt Christopherson 5, Matt Smith 2, Brian Elwer 21. Free throws: 17-29. Three pointers: 5 (Rohne 4, Holck).