Packers fall to Falcons

Published 12:15 am Saturday, September 15, 2012

Austin's Marcus Stoulil looks in a pass in front of Faribault's Brandon Stadler in the second quarter Friday night at Art Hass Stadium.

It was a worst case scenario for the Austin football team as Faribault racked up 507 total yards and scored two defensive touchdowns in Art Hass Stadium Friday night.

When the smoke cleared the Packers (0-3 overall, 0-2 Big Nine) had their 22nd straight loss, this one coming by a score of 63-26.

“We made a ton of mental mistakes and I don’t know why, because we’re not putting in new stuff, we’re just (repeating) old stuff,” Austin head coach Brett Vesel said. “I’ve never dealt with it before, we just continue to make the same mistakes. We’ve got to get better.”

Email newsletter signup

The Falcons scored on the third play of the game when Cole McAdam hauled in a 70 yard touchdown on a third and 10 and Austin responded when Marcus Stoulil caught a 71-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Synoground down the left sideline on third and 10 to make it 7-6.

Austin's Trevor Feuerhak, from left, Tommy Olmsted and Gabe Gerstner combine to take down Faribault's Riley Jandro in the second quarter Friday night at Art Hass Stadium.

The Falcons took over from that point as they converted a fourth and one on their next drive and Riley Jandro scored his first of three touchdowns to put the Falcons (3-0 overall, 2-0 Big Nine) up 14-6. The Falcons went up 21-6 when Tanner Tousignant pulled in a fade for a 12-yard TD on fourth and goal with 59 seconds left in the first.

“We just couldn’t recover. We thought we had a good start on them,” Vesel said. “We didn’t look good tonight. We’ve got to get better at every position.”

Faribault scored four touchdowns in the second quarter to completely put it away.

Austin stats: Rushing: Nate Conner, 17-for-99, TD; Ryan Synoground, 10-for-22; Elijah Dahmen, 2-for-0; Sean Coffey, 2-for-(-6); Passing: Synoground, 9-for-16, 154, 2 TD; Coffey, 4-for-7, 49, 2 INT; Receiving: Marcus Stoulil, 3-for-94, TD; Gabe Kasak, 7-for-75; Nik Gasner, 2-for-26, TD; Jacob Kempen, 1-for-8; Penalties: 4-for-35

Faribault stats: Rushing; 20-for-134, 3 TD; Joe Hoisington, 14-for-55; Darin Anderson, 4-for-53, TD; Tyler Wilson, 3-for-29; Cole McAdam, 7-for-20; Passing: Danny Ehlers, 7-for-10, 216, 3 TD; Receiving: McAdam, 3-for-121, TD; Tanner Tousignant 4-for-97, 2 TD; Penalties: 6-for-55

SCORING SUMMARY

Faribault 21 28 0 8 — 63

Austin 6 0 7 13 — 26

First quarter

(F) McAdam 46 pass from Ehlers (Palmer kick) (3 plays, 70 yards) 10:35

(A) Stoulil 71 pass from Synoground (kick failed) (3 plays, 71 yards) 9:23

(F) Jandro 1 run (Palmer kick) (11 plays, 63 yards) 4:43

(F) Tousignant 12 pass from Ehlers (Palmer kick) (7 plays, 55 yards) :59

Second quarter

(F) Jandro 6 run (Palmer kick) (8 plays, 45 yards) 9:06

(F) Jandro 49 run (Palmer kick) 1 play, 49 yards) 6:58

(F) Tousignant 39 pass from Ehlers (Palmer kick) (3 plays, 72 yards) 1:12

(F) Anderson 43 interception return (Palmer kick) (1 play, 43 yards) :58.1

Third quarter

(F) Anderson 44 run (kick failed) (10 plays, 81 yards) 5:19

(A) Conner 1 run (Stoulil kick) (12 plays, 46 yards) :39.2

Fourth quarter

(A) Gasner 14 pass from Synoground (Stoulil kick) (7 plays, 85 yards) 5:09

(F) Anderson 38 interception return (Hallet run) (1 play, 38 yards) 1:08

(A) Tommy Olmsted 83 return (run failed) (1 play, 83 yards) :54.7

CONNER CONTINUES GROWTH

Austin freshman Nate Conner almost became the first Packer to rush for 100 yards in a game in three years in Friday night’s 63-26 loss to Faribault.

He finished with 99 yards on 17 carries, but he did score his first career touchdown and he had runs of 30 and 40 yards.

Conner, who has played in all three varsity games this season, started on Friday and he’s starting to get the hang of playing with the big boys.

“It’s really different,” he said. “Everyone’s a lot faster and that’s probably the biggest difference. Most of the time I’m enjoying it.”

While Conner is just 5-7 and 122 pounds, he has come out with a physical style that has seen him find some early success in his football career.

“You can’t be afraid to hurt,” he said. “You have to challenge them or you’re going to get hurt. I’m getting more comfortable and it’ll be good for the future.”