After a season full of slow starts, the Austin girls basketball team didn’t waste any time getting jumpstarted in a 77-57 win over Faribault in the first round of the Section 1AAA playoffs in Ove Berven Gym Wednesday night.

The No. 2 seeded Packers (17-7 overall) scored on their first six possessions and forced three Faribault turnovers in the first two minutes of the game as they jumped out to an 11-2 lead. Austin senior forward Tina Vorphal got the team started on the right step as she scored 13 of her 22 points in the first six minutes of the game — including four jumpers from the baseline against the Faribault 2-3 zone.

“It was open so I just kept shooting and they went in,” said Vorphal, who added eight rebounds and five steals. “We came out with a lot of fire.”

The No. 7 seeded Falcons (5-20 overall) never tied or took the lead, but they pulled to within 34-30 with 16 minutes left in the game after scoring five straight.

Austin countered with a 10-point scoring run that saw junior guard Kaycee Lukes hit back-to-back threes. Austin led 44-30 with 12:14 let in the game.

“At different times, different people hit a bucket. It was a real good team effort,” Austin head coach Gary Peterson said.

The Packers delivered the knock-out blow with an 11-2 run later in the game that saw them take a 62-42 lead with six minutes left.

Defensively, Rebekah Aase kept Faribault’s Jenna Henry from harming the Pack with her dribble penetration. Aase had seven blocks and five steals on the night.

“She’s learning how to stay straight up and avoid foul trouble,” Peterson said.

Even when Aase wasn’t in the best position, she was still able to deflect a few shots.

“Coach told us to close (Henry) out and when I couldn’t move my feet fast enough I just tried to use my height,” said Aase, who also had 14 points and nine rebounds.

Aase said Vorpahl’s hot shooting early made life easier for an Austin team that has had a lot of first half problems this season.

“It was just great,” she said. “I was like thank you Tina, we love you. Then we just kept our momentum up.”

The Packer press defense was effective as it held Faribault to 33 percent shooting and forced 24 turnovers.

“That’s how we like to play,” Aase said. “We like to move the ball fast, get in their face and get in their heads.”

Austin will now play No. 3 seeded Red Wing at Rochester Civic Center Saturday at 2:45 p.m. The Wingers beat Austin 71-68 Dec. 30.

Faribault 25 32 — 57

Austin 31 48 — 77

Austin scoring: Tina Vorphal, 22; Rebekah Aase, 14; Krista Viehauser, 12; Kathryn Gavin, 11; Kaycee Lukes, 7; Jolene Brody, 4; Hanna Middlebrook, 3; Bri Mayer, 2; Meg Brucker, 2; field goals: 41 percent (29-for-70); three-pointers: 50 percent (7-for-14); free throws: 57 percent (12-for-21); rebounds: 39 (Aase, 9; Viehauser, 8); turnovers: 19

Faribault scoring: Jenna Henry, 14; Jen Peanasky, 13; Maggie Stoeckel, 10; Tess Burkhartzmeyer, 8; Whitney Gillen, 7; Marissa Amacher, 3; Michaela Smith, 2; field goals: 33 percent (21-for-63); three-pointers: 44 percent (4-for-9); free throws: 65 percent (11-for-17); rebounds: 29 (Henry, 7); turnovers: 24