MEMORIES & MOMENTS I Week 7

In Week 7 of the 2018 season, Owatonna clinched at least a share of the Red Division championship with a 29-11 victory over a Northfield team that entered the night riding a six-game winning streak. The Raiders proved to be a tough defensive challenge and led 11-10 at halftime, but Owatonna recaptured the lead on a Jason Williamson TD run at the 7:26-mark of the third quarter and never trailed after that point. The Huskies moved to 7-0 and wouldn’t score fewer than 39 points for the rest of the season until the state championship game when they beat St. Thomas Academy, 14-3.

MEMORIES & MOMENTS I Traveling to New Prague

At New Prague on Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2017, Owatonna rebounded from a heart-breaking loss to Northfield the previous week and rolled to a 49-0 victory over the Trojans. Abe Havelka accounted for five touchdowns — throwing four and rushing for another — and spread the wealth to three different scoring targets. The victory triggered a six-game winning streak to conclude the 2017 season that was highlighted by a resounding 63-26 victory over Elk River in the Class 5A state championship game.

MEMORIES & MOMENTS I 5 Years ago, after 6 games

Entering Week 7 of the 2016 season, Owatonna was 4-2 overall and 4-0 in the Red Division, fresh off a huge victory over Rochester Mayo in a matchup that broke a first-place deadlock between the teams and extended their winning streak to three games. The Huskies were preparing to play their first ever game at New Prague High School against the struggling 1-6 Trojans.

MEMORIES & MOMENTS I 10 Years ago, after 6 games

Entering Week 7 of the 2011 season, Owatonna was officially in blazing mid-season form and tied atop the Big Nine Conference standings with Mankato West at 5-0. The Huskies — who had beaten Chanhassen, 36-20, in their only nonconference game — had out-scored their previous two opponents by a combined tally of 96-0, the most recent being a 42-0 drubbing of Winona. Owatonna was preparing to play its final home game of the regular season against Austin.

MEMORIES & MOMENTS I Recent history tells us

In the last 15 years, Owatonna has played New Prague just five times as the Trojans did not become a regular part of the Huskies’ league schedule until the 2015 season and the formation of district competition. The Huskies have dominated the series, winning all five games by an average of exactly 40 points (48-8) and has pitched two shutouts.

Cover photo courtesy of Gary Walter