Sauk gridders trounce Osakis

Roosevelt Austin scored three touchdowns and ran for 120 yards Tuesday night to lead the Mainstreeters to a playoff-opening win over Osakis.
By the way, those were just the numbers he put up in the first half. Austin led off the second half by running the ball on six consecutive plays, which included runs of 13 yards, 17 yards, six yards, two yards, 24 yards, and finally a 4-yard touchdown stomp into the end zone.
The touchdown broke a 21-21 tie between Sauk and Class AA Osakis, who entered the game with a mirror version of Sauk’s 2-6 record.
Michael Knoblauch opened the second half with a 35-yard touchdown run and quarterback Patrick Knoblauch followed with a strike to Derek Holm on a 45-yard TD pass, giving Sauk a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The win gave them their first playoff win in some time.
But the momentum started with the defense. Osakis received the ball to begin the game and on their opening drive were faced with 4th and 1 on their own 29. They opted to go for it, but were halted by an energetic Streeter defense. The result was a 25-yard TD run by Austin for an early lead.
But Osakis bounced back to tie it at 7-7 with 6:21 left in the first quarter, giving indications that it would indeed be a high-scoring affair.
Then Sauk answered. While Austin was the one who crossed the goal line, it was Cody Bartkowicz who grunted his way to first down after first down. He, along with Austin and Michael Knoblauch proved that their three-back attack might be hard to stop in 2A playoff action (Sauk played all season as a 3A team).
Both Bartkowicz and Knoblauch had double-digit runs to lead to Austin’s second TD run of the game.
On the ensuing extra point attempt, holder Knoblauch broke from his crouch, took the snap and found Terrence Ellis in the end zone for an easy two-point play and 15-7 lead.
On Sauk’s next possession Austin broke free thanks to the blocking of Zach Wolbeck, Sam Fischer, Quinton Johnson and Darin Bushard. His 63-yard sprint led to a 21-7 lead
But Osakis answered with two touchdowns to tie it at 21-21 sending the teams tied into the locker room at the half.
After compiling a 41-21 lead in the early goings of the second half, Sauk’s Michael Knoblauch ran in for another score, and Bartkowicz sauntered in from 13 yards out to cap off his stellar night and help lead the Streeters to a 56-29 victory.
Austin finished with 216 yards rushing to lead Sauk into the next round against crosstown foe Long Prairie-Grey Eagle. The Thunder upset Breckenridge 15-14, setting up Saturday’s section semi-final.
The game is in Long Prairie with kickoff at 6 p.m.