Soccer: Ochogi nets game-winner in OT as Packers are headed for semis
Published 10:10 pm Thursday, October 9, 2014

Austin’s Ochan Ochogi steps in front of Red Wing’s Akira Tsuchiya during the first half of Thursday night’s playoff game at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
The Packers’ season was hanging in the balance when Ochan Ochogi made a play that he won’t forget for a long time.

Austin’s Erik Anderson clears the ball past trouble at midfield during the Packers’ playoff game against Red Wing Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Ochogi eluded three defenders as he freed himself and he fired a game-winning goal into the back corner of then net from about 10 yards out with 2:06 left in the first overtime out to give the No. 2 seeded Austin boys soccer team a 3-2 win over No. 7 Red Wing in the Section 1A quarterfinals in Art Hass Stadium Thursday.
“I missed a shot earlier in the second half and I was thinking about getting another one,” Ochogi said. “The only thing on my mind [on that last play] was to get a goal and I got it.”
The Packers (8-8-2 overall) looked to be headed for the win in regulation after Levi Veirkandt hit a 15-yarder off a put-back to tie the game at 1-1 with 37:16 left and Jeremy Olmsted got free on a breakaway to put Austin up 2-1 with 8:14 left in the game.

Austin’s Noah Brehmer plays for position against Red Wing’s Zachary Rademacher during the first half of their playoff game Thursday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
Joppa Olone kept the season season alive for the Wingers (7-10 overall) when he snuck a shot just inside the corner of the post with 6:22 left in regulation.
The Packers were unfazed in overtime as they started the overtime period strong. Olmsted had a shot bounce off the cross bar with 6:22 left in the OT and Olmsted had a goal called off for being off-side.
“Even though they scored, we just kept on going and that’s what made us win,” Olmsted said. “This is crazy We needed to win, because it’s our last year [for the seniors]. We needed to pull it out and we did.”
Austin struggled in the first half as the Wingers scored in the just four minutes into the game when Tyler Defore scored on a breakaway and Austin had just three of its 12 shots in the first half.
“There was some physicality on both sides of the ball from our team and their team,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said. “I think there was stuff going both ways that easily could’ve been called on another day and it might not have been called today. I think that it was both ways, so there’s not a lot you can do.”
Gach Gach had 10 saves in the win for Austin in his first game in net after coming back from an injury.
The Packers will host No. 3 Kasson-Mantorville Saturday at 7 p.m. in the Section 1A semifinals and Austin beat KM last Saturday 1-0 on an penalty kick in overtime.
“It’s going to be a battle,” Levisen said. “It was a battle the first game and their keeper did a great job. We’d rather score otherwise than on a penalty kick.”
If Austin can get past the KoMets, it will will play in the Section 1A title game Oct. 14 in RCTC Stadium in Rochester. The Packers are hoping to play in that game.
“I want to go play in Rochester for the first time,” Ochogi said. “I want to see that place.”