Soccer: Packers prevail in OT

Austin's Jake Hagen-Erickson is lifted off his feet by assistant coach Jake Levisen following the Packers' 2-1 overtime win in the Section 1A semifinals Saturday night over Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa at Art Hass Stadium. It was Hagen-Erickson's goal with 41 seconds that snapped the 1-1 tie. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

After 160 minutes of being held without a goal, Jake Hagen-Erickson was about to lose his patience when a score fell right into his lap and he vaulted the Packers soccer team to a 2-1 overtime win over Pine Island/Zumbrota/Mazeppa in a Section 1A semifinal game at Art Hass Stadium Saturday.

Jake Hagan-Erickson tries to split a pair of Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa defenders during the second half of their Section 1A semifinal game Saturday night at Art Hass Stadium. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

With 41 seconds left in the extra session, Hagen-Erickson recovered a loose ball that fell out of PIZM keeper Brady Holt’s hand after a Barush Terrazas direct kick and he booted it through for the game winner.

Before he knew it, Hagen-Erickson was in the middle of a pile of his teammates celebrating a win.

“I just turned and shot it. I saw it go past the keeper and I just started running,” Hagen-Erickson said. “(Being focused on) gets to you, but my coaches and players were calming me down.”

Hagen-Erickson’s goal was one of three huge plays made by the No. 2 seeded Packers (12-3-3 overall), who will play at Rochester Lourdes Tuesday for a trip to the Class ‘A’ state tournament.

Austin almost had its season end in regulation when PIZM’s German foreign exchange student Fredi Bormann launched a 25-yard bullet with 1:20 left in regulation. The wind caught the shot and it tailed away from Austin keeper Collin Weisert, who was able to stretch out, dive and tip the ball away from the net.

“I was just in the zone and I didn’t think about it,” Weisert, who had four saves, said. “That’s the best save I can recall making and it makes it a lot better that it was right before overtime and we went on to win.”

Austin's Jordan Bentley brings the ball forward during the second half of their Section 1A semifinal match-up against Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa Saturday night at Art Hass Stadium. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

Austin trailed 1-0 for most of the night as Bormann put in a header in the 25th minute for No. 4 PIZM (11-5-3 overall). After several missed opportunities, including an Abinyan Lual header that deflected off a PIZM defender’s foot near the goal.

The Packers finally tied the game up when Zach Robinson put in a header on a pin-point pass from Francisco Torres in the 63rd minute.

It was just the second goal of the season for Robinson, a senior, who also scored in the 3-1 win over Byron.

“It felt awesome (to score). Sometimes I don’t have confidence in myself, but I felt I had it in me,” Robinson said. “We knew we could play with them and we knew we had it in us. We all wanted it really bad.”

Austin had three chances to score in the first 10 minutes but Roel Torres shot wide on a breakaway and Hagen-Erickson had a shot go off the left post and a shot go wide right on breakaways. In all, Holt stopped 12 shots by Austin.

“We had so many opportunities come close and then they score on their first real attempt on goal,” Austin head coach Jens Levisen said. “It deflates you a little bit and each attempt that misses adds that extra urgency. You think this could be it, but you only think that for a split second but as I coach I know who’s on my team and the players know how they’re going to support each other.”

Austin will now get a rematch with No. 1 Lourdes (17-2 overall), who beat Austin 4-0 earlier this season. The game will be played at RCTC Stadium at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Austin's Nick Brehmer is mobbed by students after Austin pulled off the 2-1 overtime win against Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa in the Section 1A semifinals Saturday at Art Hass Stadium. - Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com

SportsPlus

Mower County

Soil-health incentive deadlines coming up

News

Bird flu worries prompt changes to popular ‘Miracle of Birth Center’ at Minnesota State Fair

Agriculture

Youth showcase a year of 4-H learning at Mower County Fair

Mower County

Lawhead joines Smith office as press aid

Mower County

In your Community: Duplicate Bridge

Mower County

In Your Community: Mower County Senior Center

Education

Education: Accolades

Columnists

Tim Penny: Open grants support welcoming communities

News

US economic growth increased last quarter to a healthy 2.8% annual rate

News

World War II sergeant whose plane was shot down over Germany honored with reburial

News

Gizmo the dog went missing in Las Vegas in 2015. He’s been found alive after 9 years

Blooming Prairie

Blooming Prairie man pleads guilty to federal charge of child pornography

Mower County

Westbound I-90 overnight detour at Hwy 105 scheduled July 29 in Austin

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Darin Douglas Finley, convicted in the death of Melissa Rack, in jail on probation violation

News

Arson attacks paralyze French high-speed rail network hours before start of Olympics

Business

Hormel named to Forbes List of America’s Best Employers for Women 2024

Agriculture

Strip-till farming focus of upcoming event

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Man gets 13 years in prison for criminal sexual conduct with a child

News

Biden delivers solemn call to defend democracy as he lays out his reasons for quitting race

News

In fiery speech to Congress, Netanyahu vows ‘total victory’ in Gaza and denounces U.S. protesters

Education

APS announces new cell phone, device rules for upcoming school year

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Minnesota appeals court upholds – in part – original Heggs conviction

Crime, Courts & Emergencies

Austin teen injured in Tuesday night crash

Mower County

Gertrude Ellis travels the subject of next Lunchbox History event