Albert Lea head coach Larry Goodnature didn&8217;t know it but his eighth-ranked Tigers did something even more impressive than rack up a 54-15 Big Nine Conference win over Faribault Friday.

The Tigers won their 30th straight Big Nine Conference dual as they continue on a collision course with Owatonna once again.

&8220;I give a lot of credit to our junior high program and our grade school program,&8221; Albert Lea head coach Larry Goodnature said. &8220;We have a good program and we are solid from bottom to top. The kids like to carry on that tradition.&8221;

Albert Lea has won the last two conference championships and qualified for the state dual meet tournaments all at the expense of the Huskies the past two seasons.

Friday, it was the less heralded Tigers who stepped up as the Falcons forfeited to all but one of Albert Lea&8217;s ranked wrestlers.

Third-ranked Cory Hansen (103), No. 1 Cody Hansen (112), fifth-ranked Trevor Rasmussen (125) and No. 2 Logan Kortan (140) all received forfeits from the Falcons.

However, the Tigers still got more than a few strong performances.

In the first contested match of the night, Kyle Kriewall pinned David Andrade in 1:34.

&8220;The guys who did get a chance to wrestle did a nice job, and we just keep improving so much each time we go on the mat,&8221; Goodnature said.

Adam Clark followed with a big pin over Matt Purfeerst at 125 ending the match in just 1:16 to give the Tigers a 30-0 lead.

Connor Kortan scored a takedown with 28 second left to grab a 4-3 lead at 135, but Nick Knott earned an escape to force overtime. Knott would record a takedown in overtime to get the 6-4 win and give the Falcons their first points of the night.

Anthony Tippett scored a pin at 152 in 2:27 and Matt Tiegs was a 5-0 winner at 160.

Logan Hansen was the lone ranked Tiger wrestler to get a match Friday and the fourth-ranked senior needed just 59 seconds to stick Caleb Breyer.

Perhaps the most impressive performance of the night was turned in by senior Jon Kluver at 189 when he fell behind 2-0 after one period, but dominated from the top position to earn the 5-2 win for Albert Lea.

&8220;Both Adam and Jon are two kids who haven&8217;t had a lot of success, but they went out there tonight and wrestled aggressive,&8221; Goodnature said. &8220;I think they are going to find out that is the way you have to wrestle to win so I was very pleased with those two guys.&8221;

Ethan Reed lost a hard fought match to Alex Beucler at 215 for the Tigers and the Falcons&8217; fourth-ranked Heath Wilson downed Andrew Peterson 6-0 at heavyweight.

The Tigers have to wait a few weeks for Owatonna, but that doesn&8217;t mean the Huskies aren&8217;t being talked about in the Albert Lea wrestling room.

&8220;Our goal is to be Big Nine champs and get to the state tournament,&8221; Goodnature said. &8220;We are gearing and not looking ahead, but we are keyed on that Owatonna match.

&8220;We are preparing now … we talk about it in practice and the kids are looking forward to it.&8221;

Albert Lea 54, Faribault 15

103 – Cory Hansen (AL) won by forfeit, 112 – Cody Hansen (AL) won by forfeit, 119 – Kyle Kreiwall (AL) pinned David Andrade 1:34, 125 – Trevor Rasmussen (AL) won by forfeit, 130 – Adam Clark (AL) pinned Matt Purfererst 1:16, 135 – Nick Knott (F) dec. Connor Kortan 6-4 OT, 140 – Logan Kortan (AL) won by forfeit, 145 – Brandon Roach (F) pinned Reed Anderson :33, 152 – Anthony Tippett (AL) pinned DanTinaglia 2:27, 160 – Matt Tiegs (AL) dec. Adam Hallet 5-0, 171 – Logan Hansen (AL) pinned Caleb Breyer :59, 189 – Jon Kluver (AL) dec. Nick Williams 5-2, 215 – Alex Beucler (F) dec. Ethan Reed 5-0, 285 – Heath Wilson dec. Andrew Peterson 6-0