The Austin football team saw things fall apart late in the first half of a 40-0 loss to Mankato East in Art Hass Stadium Saturday.

The Cougars scored twice in the last three minutes of the half to go up 20-0 and Austin head coach Matt Schmit had to leave the game with a family emergency.

The Cougars capped a nine-play, 70-yard drive with a seven-yard touchdown run by Abe Colstad to go up 13-0 and they stopped the Packers (0-4 overall, 0-3 Big Nine) three and out on their next possession.

Colstad hit Martin Fredrichs over the middle for a 46-yard score with 20.8 seconds left in the half to make it 20-0.

At halftime the Packers got one last word from Schmit.

“Matt left a message with the kids. He said play with all your heart and give everything you got,” Austin The Packers switched their offensive attack to a power formation that saw them run for a season-high 133 yards as a team. However, Austin allowed four sacks and committed a few crucial penalties.

“We felt good about the second half. They moved the ball and they made things happen, but our penalties hurt us,” Knox said. “Matt always say we’ve got to be perfect and if we would’ve done that tonight, we could’ve had some drives that put some points on the board for us.”

Knox was pleased with how the team competed in the second half, despite being down big.

“The kids came out and gave everything they had and they’re working hard to make some good things happen,” he said.

STATS

Austin rushing: Blas Estrada, 15-for-48; Josh Hart, 5-for-36; Andrew Heickly, 6-for-26; Anthony Condit, 4-for-14; Jay Ettinger, 4-for-8; Sean Coffey, 2-for-1; Pat Wagner, 1-for-0

Austin passing: Estrada, 3-for-9, 20, INT

Austin receiving: Jay Ettinger, 2-for-20; Heickly, 1-for-0

Austin sacks: Alex Earl (1), Leon Delgado (1)

Austin penalties: 5-for-35

Mankato East rushing: Tevyn Schmidt, 11-for-114, TD; Matt Roberts, 6-for-80, TD; Yousef Harwil, 3-for-79, TD; Abe Colstad, 12-for-65, 2 TD; Colby Robbins, 2-for-14; Dylan Boettcher, 1-for-2

Mankato East passing: Colstad, 9-for-15, 147, TD; Roberts, 1-for-2, 8

Mankato East receiving: Martin Fredrichs, 3-for-76, TD; Harwil, 4-for-34; Brandon Sedivy, 1-for-15; Taylor Hayenga, 1-for-12; Medi Opiew, 1-for-8

Mankato East 6 14 14 6 — 40

Austin 0 0 0 0 — 0

SCORING SUMMARY

First quarter

(M) 6:57 Tevyn Schmidt 28 run (kick failed) (8 plays, 75 yards)

Second quarter

(M) 2:09 Abe Kolstad 7 run (Hayenga kick) (9 plays, 70 yards)

(M) :20.8 Martin Fredrichs 46 pass from Kolstad (Hayenga kick) (8 plays, 55 yards)

Third quarter

(M) 9:51 Kolstad 1 run (Hayenga kick) (5 plays, 61 yards)

(M) 7:02 Yousef Harwil 80 run (Hayenga kick) (1 play, 80 yards)

Fourth quarter

(M) Matt Roberts 67 run (run failed) (4 plays, 77 yards)