KoMets drop dramatic regular-season finale

Kasson-Mantorville’s KoMets lost a heart-breaker last Wednesday, October 20, on a 35-yard field goal with 35 seconds remaining in the game.

That was enough to give Owatonna the lead and a 17- 14 victory. The teams traded the ball and the lead several times before the field goal finally sealed the victory for the Huskies. A 43-yard run in the second quarter put Owatonna up 14-6, but K-M answered and tied the score 14-14 with 4:45 to play in the third, when Gavin Giesler pulled in a highlight-reel catch on a pass from Matt Donovan on a fourth-and-11 play; then Donovan weaved into the end zone for a two- point conversion. Broc Barwald got K-M on the board first, by pulling away from Owatonna’s defense for an 86-yard scoring run in the second quarter. Owatonna answered on the ensuing kickoff when it was returned for a 76-yard score; the PAT kick gave Owatonna a 7-6 lead.

(Kasson-Mantorville: 0-6- 8-0—14; Owatonna: 0-14-0- 3—17).

Owatonna opened play in the Section 1AAAAA playoffs this week as the No. 2 seed in the section and a first-round bye. K-M received the No. 2 seed in the Section 1AAAA, which also carried a first-round bye with it.

FOOTBALL BEARS FALL TO SPARTANS

Byron’s Bears ran into a buzz saw last Wednesday, October 20, when they were swamped by the fifth-ranked Mayo Spartans, 41-15.

Mayo turned-up the defense and held Byron to just 36-yards of total offense in the first half. The win improved Mayo to 7-1 overall and solidified the #1 seed, along with a first-round bye in the Section 1-5A post-season playoff.

The Spartan defense set the tone, forcing a three-and- out in the game’s opening possession, before forcing a fumble on the next Byron drive. The Bears managed just (4) first-stanza first downs, but they didn’t go down without a fight.

Byron’s defense took advantage of a wet field, jumping-on three fumbles and picking-off a Spartan pass. Following their second fumble, Byron’s Adam Glynn made it 14-7, on a 15-yard TD run.