At tonight’s year-end celebration of the Austin Packers’ historic season that saw them return to the State Tournament for the first time in 30 years, five seniors will be specially recognized: Ryan Larson, Goliath Oboyo, Nate Schwab, Zach Vierkandt and student manager J.J. Green.
The seniors provided important leadership for the team, and also made some huge plays throughout the year. Here are highlights from their dream season:
Ryan Larson
Goliath Oboyo
Nate Schwab
Zach Vierkandt
We wish all the Packer seniors great success in the future and thank them for their contributions to Austin basketball!
To thank Packer fans for their tremendous support this season, the Austin High School boys’ basketball team and the Packer Fast Break Club are opening their year-end celebration and awards ceremony to the entire community. There is no charge for admission.
KAAL Sports Director Caleb Ostrander will emcee the program, which will begin at 7 p.m. on Monday, March 26, in Knowlton Auditorium at AHS. Coaches from the younger teams will introduce and recognize their players, and then Packer Head Coach Kris Fadness will reflect on the season and present Varsity awards. Seniors will be recognized and they in turn will present their humorous Captains Awards “roasting” the younger team members.
A reception will follow the program, and Packer players will be serving cookies and punch to the community members attending.
The year-end event is customarily just for team members and parents, but Austin basketball fans were a huge factor in the Packers’ great season, including a perfect 11-0 regular season home record and the Packers’ first Big Nine title since 1999, even donning “Sixth Man” T-shirts later in the year. And of course, in the last regular season game, they couldn’t resist storming the floor:
The crowds were huge for the first two section games, which led to two more home wins, and then Packer fans turned the Mayo Civic Center into a sea of red for the section finals (click to enlarge)…
… and while security personnel prevented Packer fans from storming the floor, they were even more delirious in the stands after the game-winning play:
With the Packers in the state tournament for the first time in three decades, Williams Arena was awash in red as well:
The Austin crowd was likely the largest of any of the AAA schools. In fact, John Millea of the Minnesota State High School League said, “The enthusiasm meter was nearly broken by the fans from Austin, who took over Williams Arena to watch their team play at state for the first time in 30 years.” Here’s a sampling of the enthusiasm:
Please join us Monday night to celebrate the return of Austin Packer Basketball to state prominence! Use this Facebook event to let us know you’re coming (and to invite your friends) to help us in planning, but if you’re not on Facebook, please just come anyway!
The Packers closed out their 2011-12 season with a strong effort against perennial power St. Paul Johnson yesterday, leading by two at the half before dropping their state quarterfinal game 71-66.
Joe Aase led the Packers with 25 points, nine rebounds and four blocks, while Zach Wessels had 14 points, six rebounds and six assists and Tom Aase had a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds, plus six blocks. Goliath Oboyo scored eight points – six in a furious late-game rally – while Collin Weisert added a trey and Zach Vierkandt, Nate Schwab and Bret Lukes scored two each.
One of the fun traditions of the Minnesota State High School Basketball Tournament is the creation of “Gym Rats” T-shirts featuring cartoons of….well…rats wearing the uniforms of each of the schools. The Austin Packers are squarely in the middle of this year’s edition (click the image above to enlarge), and the Austin High School Activities office has a limited number available for sale on Tuesday morning.
The cost for the shirts is $20, and they will go on sale at 8 a.m. Tuesday.
So get there early and sign up for the fan bus, and bring an extra $20 if you want a T-shirt.
We plan to have a huge contingent from Austin traveling to Williams Arena for the Packers’ game against St. Paul Johnson on Wednesday. Those from the Austin area who can’t attend can catch all the action live on AM 1480, KAUS.
But what about those Packer fans and alumni who no longer live in the Austin area?
The answer is at myaustinminnesota.com. Just click the link to go there at noon CDT on Wednesday, hover over the Programming tab and then click Webcam.
When the “Voice Vision” window pops up, click the Play button to listen to the live stream:
Austin High School Boys Basketball State Tournament Quarter Finals
Wed. March 21st – Game time 12:00 pm
Williams Arena, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
There will be student and adult fan buses available for those who would like to attend. The buses load from AHS (SE side of building by Packer Gyms) at 9:30am and leave at 9:45am.
Must have signed form and money turned in by 3:00 pm on Tuesday, March 20.
Cost to ride fan bus is $15.00 for Austin High School students, this includes the cost of the ticket on Wed.
The adult bus will be a coach bus that will cost $35.00 for Wed, which includes the ticket as well.
Forms available from Austin High School Activities Office (Monday 7:30 am – 4:00 pm), or you can download them below, print and complete and get them to the Activities Office before the 3 p.m. Tuesday deadline.
If the team wins there will be fan buses as well as an adult bus going up on Thursday, March 22nd. The game time will be the same, as will the load and leave time.
You will need to sign up for the Thursday bus by 3:00 on March 20th as well.
If you have any further questions, please contact the AHS Activities Office at 507-460-1825.
