Coach focuses on positives after stunning defeat

The Owatonna Huskies have only been kept out of the end zone once in over five years of play. Last Tuesday, Northfield managed to do just that, holding the Huskies to a single field goal en route to a 15-3 section win. 
The Huskies were heavy favorites going into the home game against Northfield. The team was ranked top 10 in their class and hadn’t lost a game since the season opener against Mankato West. Northfield, on the other hand, was a 3-5 regular season team, who had already lost to Owatonna once in September. 
None of that mattered, however, as the Raiders stunned the Huskies on their home field, ending any dreams of grandeur by the Owatonna squad. 
On its second possession of the game, Owatonna marched 51 yards to Northfield’s 12-yard line, but was unable to score a touchdown, settling instead for a field goal. The Huskies would hold that lead until a Bryce Goodwin fumble early in the second quarter would pave the way for a Northfield field goal to tie the game. 
Northfiled would get the ball back 42 seconds later on an interception from Alec Emanuelson. Though the drive began on Owatonna’s 26-yard line, the Owatonna defense played big after the turnover, managing to back the Raiders to the 30-yard line after three plays. The loss of yardage brought up a 48-yard field goal attempt for Northfield’s senior place kicker Isaac Stadler. The kick was perfect, easily clearing the cross bar as it soared between the uprights. Stadler would continue to impress all night, hitting a perfect 5-5 against the Huskies, and scoring all 15 points for the Raiders. 
Potentially Northfield’s biggest victory of the second quarter was field position, as the team began all five of its second-quarter possessions in Owatonna territory. 
“[Field position] was pretty big in the second quarter,” Williams admitted. “They’d get the field goal. They’d pin us deep. We wouldn’t get anything going, punt it out to midfield, and they’d run it down inside our 20. It made a big difference.”
Down 12-3 at halftime, players faces were grim walking into the locker room, but it wasn’t the first time Owatonna had trailed after two quarters, and down only nine, the game was far from over. 
Getting a quick stop on defense, the Huskies received the ball, and even a field goal would have brought the game to within on possession. However, the Huskies again quickly punted, and Northfield responded with yet another field goal, bringing the game to 15-3 early in the fourth quarter. 
Receiving the ball at their own 20 with 12 minutes left in the game, the Huskies put together their most impressive drive of the game, marching to the Raiders 34-yard line in a matter of minutes. Then, a 34-yard touchdown pass and run from Emanuelson to Westphal sent the home crowd into a frenzy, until a little yellow flag hushed them instantly. It was holding on the offense, and the Huskies would eventually turn the ball over on downs. 
The Huskies would fail on another fourth down attempt and throw another interception before it was all said and done, and stunned Owatonna fans watched as the clock hit zeros and Northfield began its celebration. 
Every section championship thought was suddenly erased. Though Owatonna had received the number one seed and a first round bye, Williams had voiced his concern for the bye, pointing to several teams that had lost after a bye. His concerns were valid, though he stated that the loss was not because his team was not prepared.  
“These kids played their hearts out,” Williams said after the game. “They were ready to go.”
Whatever the reason, the Owatonna offense did not look like itself Tuesday night, rushing only 80 yards and passing for 198, most of which came on the team’s only two successful drives. The poor offensive showing clouded what was potentially Owatonna’s greatest defensive game, as the defense kept Northfield out of the end zone, despite extremely favorable field position and three turnovers. 
“I thought our defense stepped up and kept us in it, holding them to field goals to give us a chance. I can’t say enough about how those kids stepped up,” said Huskies Coach Jeff Williams. “We just didn’t generate anything offensively to take advantage of the fact that our defense was getting stops… It’s one of those things where you have to sustain a drive to get some rhythm, and we never really did sustain a drive. So, it seemed like we were putting our defense back on the field too rapidly, and we asked too much of them tonight.”
For Williams, the unexpected loss didn’t take away a season full of positives. 
“They had a great season,” said Williams. “This is a great bunch of seniors. They provided great leadership. We had a little bit of a rocky year last year. I thought these guys did a nice job of righting the ship and getting us back in the right direction.” 
Owatonna 3 
Northfield 15
Tuesday, Oct. 20
At Owatonna
1   2   3   4
Owatonna 3   0   0   0
Northfield 0  12  0   3
 
First quarter
OWA — Aidan Buryska 28-yard field goal is good, 2:09.
Second quarter
NTF — Isaac Stadler 30-yard field goal is good, 8:16.
NTF —Stadler 48-yard field goal is good, 6:31.
NTF —Stadler 36-yard field goal is good, 2:46.
NTF —Stadler 26-yard field goal is good, 0:23.
Fourth quarter
NTF —Stadler 20-yard field goal is good, 11:55.
Statistics
TEAM: Total yards: OWA 278, NTF 219. Rushing: OWA 80, NTF 108. Passing: OWA 198, NTF 111. 
INDIVIDUAL:
Owatonna
Rushing: Hylle 12-26, Wiese 4-15, Emanuelson 7-(-)26, Goodwin 3-12, Holcomb 5-16. Passing: Emanuelson 14-36-198 (2 INT.). Receiving: Holcomb 2-36, Kubista 1-11, Hylle 2-27, Westphal 1-12, Budach 5-114, Wiese 1-8, Solie 1-5, Emanuelson 1-5.