Packer football team is hoping to give Mayo a battle
Published 7:26 pm Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Austin running back Cory Hepler, center, breaks free from teamates Connor Sheehan, left, and Steven Clennon at Packer football practice at the Wescott Athletic Complex Wednesday. — Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Packers are coming off two of their best weeks of football this season and they’re hoping to play even better when they host Rochester Mayo this Friday at Art Hass Stadium at 7 p.m.
Austin’s offense has put up at least 375 yards in the last two weeks and its pass defense has allowed just 168 yards combined in the last two weeks.
After moving the ball successfully against the No. 1 ranked Huskies in a 49-26 loss last Friday, the Packers (1-4 overall, 1-4 Big Nine) are hoping to pull off an upset this Friday.
“They want to beat a good team and this is our chance to beat a good team,” Austin head coach Brett Vesel said. “We know Mayo’s a good team and I think we’re excited to be right there and compete to the end.”
The Spartans (4-1 overall, 4-1 Big Nine) are coming off of an 18-13 win over Rochester John Marshall and they beat Faribault 35-28 two weeks ago.
The Austin passing game is starting to excel as Packer quarterback Ryan Synoground has thrown for 872 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions and ran for 137 yards and four TDs this season.
“We’ve improved a lot in the last two weeks,” Synoground said. “We’ve been moving the ball on offense and our defense is stepping it up in the passing game. We’re putting it together and we’re really executing offensively.”
To compete with Mayo, the Packers will have to execute on both sides of the ball and they’ll have to show the same improvements they have the past two weeks.
“If we can put it all together and keep our offense on the field and get our defense off the field, we’ll have a chance,” Vesel said. “We’re improving. Ryan’s getting better, the offensive line is starting to gel and the receivers are starting to understand the game a lot better. Nik Gasner is starting to come on, Zach Wessels is understanding the offense, Bret Lukes is stepping up and Jacob Kempen has been solid for us.”
If the Packers can pull off the upset on Friday, it would their first win over a team with a winning record since 2009.
Synoground is hoping that Austin can do just that.
“I think this is pretty big,” he said. “A win on this Friday could really turn this program around. It would be really huge for us and a lot of us are hungry for another win and we’re working hard. I’m excited and I think we have a very strong chance of winning.”
