Packer girls knocked off by Red Wing

RED WING — The Austin girls basketball team gave top seeded Red Wing (20-7 overall) all it could handle, but the Packers came up a little short by a score of 61-57 in the Section 1AAA semifinals in Red Wing Saturday.

The No. 4 Packers (10-16 overall) trailed 13-3 to open the game, but they rallied to take a 35-34 lead. The game was back and forth from that point on, and RW’s Tesha Buck, who scored 23 points, hit some key shots.

“We just couldn’t get that big shot,” Austin head coach Todd Johnson said. “I’m super proud of the girls and it was an overall great effort.”

Steph Justice had 17 points and Jenna Svoboda chipped in 14 for Austin.

Austin 26 31 — 57

RW 32 29 — 61

Austin scoring: Steph Justice, 17; Jenna Svoboda, 14; Taylor Lady, 11; Alex Hansen, 7; Mer Gach, 4; Merideth Fritz, 3; Jocelyn Sheehan, 2; free throws: 94 percent (17-for-18)

SportsPlus

Mower County

Plain White T’s to headline Hormel celebration concert

Mower County

Blair Lawhead concert set for Sept. 18

Education

APS test scores show decline in Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments

Mower County

In Your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Brownsdale

In Your Community: Brownsdale Study Club

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

Mower County

Mussel research setting the tone for the future of a cleaner Cedar River

Law Enforcement

‘I would do it all over again’

LeRoy

New LeRoy incident Wednesday may be related to shots fired incident

Albert Lea

Disaster Recovery Centers open in Albert Lea and Worthington

Adams

Adams Legionnaire elected as a American Legion National Vice Commander

Business

Austin Utilities AND SMMPA extend power sales contract to 2050

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Sheriff’s Office investigating report of gunshots in LeRoy

Education

Four Austin students selected to attend Global Youth Institute

Education

Austin Public Schools welcomes new AHS assistant principal

News

As school nears, doctors worry about Minnesota’s undervaccinated kids

News

Minnesota DNR seeks applications for advisory groups

Business

Minimum-wage rate adjusted for inflation as of Jan. 1, 2025

News

A rare orchid survives on a few tracts of prairie. Researchers want to learn its secrets

News

Special counsel urges appeals court to reinstate classified documents case against Trump

News

Minnesota Capitol, governor’s residence see a security boost since Walz named as VP candidate

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Convictions: Aug. 12-19

News

Presidential transition planning has kicked off in earnest

News

Ukraine says F-16s shot down some missiles in latest Russian barrage that killed 5