A Mid-Game Pivot Saves Albany’s Season
Sports are often defined by the moments coaches choose to trust their instincts over the script. For the Albany Huskies, that moment arrived in the Section 6AAA Championship against New London-Spicer, with the team facing a daunting 21-point deficit. Senior quarterback Cohen Habben, who had not taken consistent offensive snaps since getting sidelined in an early-season loss to Pierz, was thrust back into the fray to salvage a game that appeared to be slipping away.
The decision to pull junior Emmett Rushmeyer—who had been managing a thumb injury—in favor of Habben proved to be the catalyst for an improbable comeback. While Rushmeyer had anchored the offense throughout the season, the tactical shift ignited the Huskies, leading to a 42-35 victory and a coveted spot in the state tournament.
The Mechanics of the Comeback
The turnaround was immediate. Before the third quarter had even concluded, Habben had orchestrated three unanswered scoring drives. His impact was physical and psychological, starting with a 63-yard touchdown run that surged down the sidelines and brought the home crowd back into the fold.
“It was unexpected, [but] I was ready,” Habben said. “I love Emmett; he’s a great quarterback and he had a couple of huge deflections [on defense].”
The offensive rhythm continued to build as Habben connected with senior running back Judah Allen on a 31-yard pass, setting up another score. Even when a fumble occurred near the end zone, the Huskies displayed the kind of opportunistic play that characterizes championship-caliber teams, with senior Nick Van Heel recovering the ball to keep the drive alive. By the fourth quarter, junior running back Hunter Henkelman began to dominate the ground game, punching in consecutive touchdowns to secure the lead for good.
The Human Stakes of Resilience
To understand the magnitude of this win, one must look at the adversity the Albany program has faced this year. The team has managed the loss of their head coach, the departure of key defensive and offensive starters, and the mid-season rotation of their quarterback room. This isn't just a story about a single game; it proves the organizational depth of a high school program that has now returned to the state tournament for the third time in the last four seasons.
Henkelman’s post-game reflection highlighted a sentiment shared by many in the locker room: “No matter the score, we never gave up once this year. We lost our quarterback, we lost our head coach, we lost one of our best players on defense and offense, but we kept fighting and made it to state. No one thought we would have done that.”
Looking Toward the State Quarterfinals
The victory sets the stage for the Class 3A state quarterfinals, scheduled for November 13 and November 14. Albany will join a field of sectional champions, including Zumbrota-Mazeppa, Dassel-Cokato, Waseca, St. Croix, Annandale, Pierz, and Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton. Matches will be hosted at venues across the region, including Monticello High School, Alexandria High School, New Prague High School, and Apple Valley High School.
The team enters this bracket with the benefit of recent experience. Having previously faced losses in the 2024 Class 3A Semifinal against Stewartville and the 2023 state quarterfinal against Dilworth-Glyndon-Felton, the team looks ahead. For Habben, the focus remains internal. “If we keep rallying together, we can do whatever we want,” he noted. “I’m looking forward to it.”
Whether this momentum can translate to a deep run at the state level remains the primary question for Albany supporters. In high school football, where roster turnover is constant and injury management is a weekly challenge, the Huskies have proven that their greatest asset is a collective refusal to concede before the final whistle.
