Lucky Number Seven: Hebrink tallies 7 touchdowns and Packers force 7 turnovers in win over AL
Published 12:07 am Saturday, October 8, 2016
- Austin quarterback Tate Hebrink finds a hole to score a second-quarter touchdown against Albert Lea Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
It had been a long wait for the Packer football team to finish in the winner’s circle and when they finally did it, they sure made it count.
The Austin football team had a homecoming to remember when it blasted Albert Lea 50-7 in Art Hass Stadium Friday. The win snapped a 16-game losing skid for Austin.
The Packers (1-5 overall) came out swinging as they scored two touchdowns in a span of 10 seconds to go up 12-0 early on. Austin quarterback Tate Hebrink, who had seven total touchdowns in the win, started things off by hitting Gavin Owens with a 10-yard TD pass then Austin recovered an on-side kick that led to an immediate 40-yard TD pass from Hebrink to Tyler Tupy.
![The Austin Packers and their fans celebrate their homecoming win over Albert Lea Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/10/1009.HomecomingParade-1-2.jpg)
The Austin Packers and their fans celebrate their homecoming win over Albert Lea Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“That’s one of the things we do with our kicking game and we finally got one,” Vesel said of the early on-side kick attempt. “The kids took the momentum and ran with it and it’s great when they can score like that.”
Hebrink, a junior, threw for 188 yards, four TDs and one interception and he ran for 117 yards and three scores.
“I had to make my reads. I pulled it a couple of times tonight and a lot of times I don’t pull it when I should have this year. We got a lot of yards,” Hebrink said. “[Scoring seven touchdowns] is not something I really thought about before.”
Austin’s defense dominated for much of the night as it forced seven turnovers and held AL (1-5 overall) to 43 rushing yards on 27 attempts. The Tigers were able to make a few big plays with their passing game, but it rarely led to points.
After blowing a big lead to Red Wing in last years homecoming game, the Packers weren’t about to let up on the intensity after they led 33-7 at halftime against the rival Tigers.
![Austin’s Jany Gash pulls in a third-quarter touchdown against Albert Lea Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/10/1009.AustinvsAlbertLeaHomecoming-37.jpg)
Austin’s Jany Gash pulls in a third-quarter touchdown against Albert Lea Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
“We played a good second half. Last year I remember we had trouble in the second half and we talked about that at halftime,” Austin senior lineman Kyle Oberbroeckling said.
Austin’s fast start was key to get things early on and junior lineman Luke Hawkshead said that was a major difference from some of the team’s past games this season.
“We didn’t come out flat. A couple of games this year we’ve come out flat and it killed us. Small mistakes can kill you in a game,” Hawkshead said. “It’s a motivator for us when we know we can move the ball.”
Austin will look to keep the ball rolling when it plays at Red Wing 7 p.m. Friday.
“Our kids have a great attitude and this will help with practice on Monday,” Vesel said. “We’ve got a couple of games we can compete in and this will make it even better now.”
![Austin running back Sam Hagan carries deep in Albert Lea territory in the second quarter Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/10/1009.AustinvsAlbertLeaHomecoming-20.jpg)
Austin running back Sam Hagan carries deep in Albert Lea territory in the second quarter Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
SCORING SUMMARY
AL 0 7 0 0 — 7
Austin 20 13 14 3 — 50
First quarter
(A) Gavin Owens 10 pass from Tate Hebrink (kick failed) (12 plays, 64 yards) 8:46
(A) Tyler Tupy 40 pass from Hebrink (kicked failed) (1 play, 40 yards) 8:36
(A) Herbrink 2 run (Owens from Hebrink) (11 plays, 55 yards) 3:20
Second quarter
(AL) Benjamin Witham 4 run (kick good) (5 plays, 56 yards) 10:18
(A) Hebrink 1 run (pass failed) (14 plays, 57 yards) 4:59
(A) Tupy 10 pass from Hebrink (Zach Chandler kick) 2:32
Third quarter
(A) Hebrink 10 run (Chandler kick) (6 plays, 41 yards) 9:48
(A) Gash 5 pass from Hebrink (Chandler kick) :47.7
Fourth quarter
(A) Chandler 19 field goal (7 plays, 22 yards) 11:06
AUSTIN STATS
Rushing: Tate Hebrink, 21-for-117, 3 TDs; Sam Hagan, 21-for-75; Nate Murphy, 4-for-38
Passing: Hebrink, 15-for-21, 188, 4 TDs, INT
Receiving: Tyler Tupy, 3-for-68, 2 TDs; Gavin Owens, 4-for-42, TD; Jakob Crouch, 2-for-32; Trent Brown, 3-for-30; Jany Gash, 2-for-16, TD; Hagan, 1-for-0
Interceptions: Gash (2); Brown (1); Hunter Guyette (!)
Sacks: Eli Marks (1); Corey Waller (1); Nick Pinkava (1)
Fumble recoveries: Thomas Kroymann (1); Marks (1); Gash (1)
Penalties: 7-for-54
![Austin’s Tyler Tuppy slips a tackle after a reception in the third quarter against Albert Lea Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/10/1009.AustinvsAlbertLeaHomecoming-39.jpg)
Austin’s Tyler Tuppy slips a tackle after a reception in the third quarter against Albert Lea Friday night at Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
AL STATS
Rushing: 43
Passing: 217
Penalties: 5-for-36
![Austin’s Kaden Igou rounds up Albert Lea quarterback Samuel Chalmers during the second quarter Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com](https://www.austindailyherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/15/2016/10/1009.AustinvsAlbertLeaHomecoming-35.jpg)
Austin’s Kaden Igou rounds up Albert Lea quarterback Samuel Chalmers during the second quarter Friday night in Art Hass Stadium. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com