The Austin football team couldn’t avoid costly mistakes as it saw an early lead disappear in a 38-19 loss to Albert Lea at Art Hass Stadium to close out its regular season in Art Hass Stadium Wednesday.

The Packers (0-8 overall, 0-7 Big Nine) had four turnovers and they amassed 123 penalty yards in the loss.

“The whole game was self inflicted. We had way too many penalties and we had some dumb ones too,” Austin head coach Matt Schmit said. “We could’ve been up by two or three scores in the first half. We had our opportunities.”

The Packers fumbled twice deep in their own territory on two of their first five possessions and both miscues led to AL field goals. Sean Coffey was also intercepted by AL’s Clayton Bratten at the AL five-yard line in the first half.

In all, the Tigers (2-6 overall, 2-5 Big Nine) started their drives inside Austin’s 30-yard line five times and they started seven of their 10 possessions in Austin territory. The Packers started in AL territory just twice as they struggled with punting and returning kicks.

“When you get into that mentality that something’s going to go wrong for you, it does. Confidence breeds confidence and making mistakes breeds more mistakes,” Schmit said.

Still, Austin took a 13-9 lead when Anthony Condit plunged in from a yard out on fourth and goal with 8:12 left in the second quarter. But the Tigers (2-6 overall, 2-5 Big Nine) scored the next 29 points as they dominated the third quarter.

Shea Svendson hit a 37-yard field goal with 3:27 left in the first half and Ethan Abben added a 15-yard scramble for a score with on third and 10 to make it 18-13 Tigers with 20 seconds left in the half.

AL took advantage of good field position to start the second half as it converted drives of 14 and 22 yards for touchdowns. AL running back Makael Lunning, who had three TDs, had an eight-yard score and a 14-yard score to cap those drives.

Austin has now lost six straight games to AL and 18 straight overall.

“The community wants a win and the players want a win. I’m disappointed with myself and I haven’t done a good enough job,” Schmit said.

Austin will begin the Section 1AAAA tournament on the road next Tuesday at  7 p.m.

SCORING SUMMARY

Albert Lea 9 9 14 6 — 38

Austin 7 6 0 6 — 19

First quarter

(AL) Makael Lunning 20 run (kick failed) (2 plays, 36 yards) 11:20

(A) Trevor Feurhak 10 pass from Sean Coffey (Zach Wessels kick) (12 plays, 65 yards) 4:45

(AL) Shea Svendson 17 field goal (4 plays, 8 yards) 1:05

Second quarter

(A) Anthony Condit 1 run (kick failed) (5 plays, 21 yards) 8:12

(AL) Svendson 32 field goal (run failed) (4 plays, 24 yards) :19.9

Third quarter

(AL) Lunning 8 run (Svendson kick) (2 plays, 14 yards) 10:41

(AL) Lunning 14 run (Svendson kick) (3 plays, 22 yards) 7:02

Fourth quarter

(AL) Dalton Westerlund 42 run (kick failed) (11 plays, 98 yards) 9:29

(A) Jacob Kempen 19 pass from Ryan Synoground (pass failed) :7.2

AUSTIN STATS

Rushing: Anthony Condit, 16-for-51, TD; Gabe Kasak, 4-for-26; Cory Hepler, 2-for-10; Olal Nathaneal, 1-for-2; Will Davenport 1-for-(-3); Coffey, 4-for-(-6)

Passing: Coffey, 14-for-23, 155, TD, 2 INT; Trevor Feurhak, 1-for-31; Ryan Synoground, 1-for-3, 19, TD; Tommy Olmsted, 1-for-1, 6; Receiving: Bret Lukes, 7-for-93; Feurhak, 6-for-59, TD; Zach Wessels, 2-for-27; Condit, 1-for-20; Jacob Kempen, 1-for-19, TD; Interceptions: Lukes (1); Penalties: 12-for-123

AL STATS

Rushing: Makael Lunning, 17-for-77, 3 TD; Dalton Westerlund, 2-for-41, TD; Ethan Abben, 5-for-17, TD; Bany Chan, 6-for-35; Kohl Kriewall, 2-for-(-5); Passing: Abben, 5-for-12, 86; Receiving: Westerlund, 2-for-46; Cody Scherrff, 1-for-19; Jake Price, 1-for-10; Lunning, 1-for-5; Interceptions: Clayton Bratten (1); Chan (1); Penalties: 5-for-45