ALTOONA — It was a highlight reel season for Altoona senior quarterback Owen Gunderson.
More often than not, the future Augustana University Viking was running through or around defenders for long, scintillating touchdown runs against the likes of Eau Claire Regis, Fall Creek and Osceola.
Railroaders coach Kellen Lager put it best following his team’s senior night 28-20 win over Ellsworth Friday at Oakleaf Stadium, saying, “He makes plays that you don’t see many make.”
Gunderson made his mark and then some on the Altoona program and stamped his final game with the Railroaders with a two-touchdown performance Friday night.
In doing so, Gunderson reached 20 total touchdowns on the season and eclipsed 1,000 rushing yards.
“It’s just a credit to my teammates because they block for me and get me in positions where I can make plays,” Gunderson said.
“He’s a very vital piece to the program, and he’s built up a lot of the program,” Lager said. “There’s not many times you coach a kid like him.”
“Owen’s a dog,” Altoona sophomore James Baker said. “He’s our best player. There’s nobody like him on our team, or in my opinion, in the area.”
Gunderson came into Friday night’s contest 44 rushing yards and two touchdowns shy of the milestones.
After being bottled up in the first half, Gunderson found ample running room in the second.
A 20-yard scramble inched Gunderson closer and got the Railroaders into Ellsworth territory for the first time.
A few plays and a holding penalty later, Altoona faced a first-and-20. Gunderson didn’t waver, scrambling right before flipping his hips back left and sprinting for a 33-yard touchdown run.
“I definitely had some goals, but I didn’t think I was going to make it to 1,000,” Gunderson said.
“When he starts going side to side, I kind of know that it’s going to be a touchdown because blocks are going to be made somehow,” Baker said.
After an all-Middle Border Conference junior season as a wide receiver, Gunderson took hold of the Railroaders quarterback position for his senior year.
Having just five touchdown passes coming into Friday, Gunderson wasn’t known for his arm.
But, he made the most of it late Friday, throwing a 44-yard strike to wide receiver Travaires Conner on a third and long.
“I saw Travaires beat his defender,” Gunderson said. “If you throw it up to Travaires, you know he’s gonna make a play. So I trusted him.”
The trust went both ways, even before the football season started.
“I actually came out for football because of him,” Conner said. “I was initially not gonna play, and he just kept telling me to play, and I’m glad I did.”
Gunderson punched home a 12-yard scamper one play later for his 15th rushing score of the season and 20th overall.
Despite their 3-6 record, the Railroaders constantly relied on Gunderson, who turned in special offensive performances each and every game and led them in tackles defensively.
“He’s been leading us all season,” Conner said. “We got a lot of tough wins from him and stayed in games with him. So, it’s nice sending him off on a win.”
“To send your seniors out on a win on their home field on senior night, it’s pretty special,” Lager said.
Gunderson will continue his stellar athletic career on the basketball court this winter and the golf course in the spring. But, he will surely miss his time on the Altoona gridiron.
“It felt really good,” Gunderson said. “Senior night. We fought hard. We faced adversity and we fought back. So, I’m proud of our team for that.”