Jeff Budlong, On the rebound

After spending much of Saturday evening watching the Albert Lea wrestling team handle all competition with ease at the team section tournament I was impressed to say the least.

Sure, the performances on the mat were spectacular, but the thing that impressed me even more was the Tigers’ demeanor off the mat.

Albert Lea had been building to this moment all season, and yet you would be hard pressed to tell this was different than any other regular season dual for the Tigers.

There was an aura of confidence around the team that began with head coach Larry Goodnature, extended through the rest of the coaching staff and to the wrestlers.

Many of the wrestlers stayed seated throughout all three duals, there was no nervous energy to work off, they watched the matches, readied for their own and in the end punched their ticket back to the state tournament.

A lot of teams like to say there was a business-like approach to what they do, but that phrase certainly does apply to these Tigers.

There were celebrations after wins and disappointment after the few losses, but the one thing that seemed to be completely absent was doubt.

Talking with the wrestlers after the final match against Owatonna it quickly became apparent this was a team that had trained hard for this moment and it was not going to let it pass by.

The common theme talking to the wrestlers after the match &045; not surprisingly &045; was team.

Everyone who took to the mat Saturday for Albert Lea wrestled not only for themselves, but for all of their teammates seated matside.

In a time in sports where individuals try to show up their team more and more it was refreshing to see how the Tigers handled their success Saturday.

The Mayo Civic Center had largely cleared out as the clock crept towards 11 p.m. but the Albert Lea fans were still there and after all the wrestlers had received their medals they took time for team pictures and then talked to family and friends.

It was a time to enjoy the hard work rewarded.

They soaked in the moment but they acted like they had been there before &045; which they had just two years earlier.

Two-thirds of the Tigers’ checklist is now complete with a state title being all that remains.

The competition will be stiff at the Excel Energy Center, but this team has shown throughout the season it can handle it both on and off the mat.

Congratulations also goes out to the United South Central wrestling team for advancing to the team state tournament as well.

Coach Eric Wegner and the Rebels completed the feat for the first time in school history and did so in dramatic fashion.

In a season that began with so many questions it is winding down with a dream ending for USC.

Coaches and teams always talk about peaking at the right time of the year and that is exactly what the Rebels did.

After a bumpy start to the season USC got its season headed in the right direction, grabbed the top seed in the section and found a way to win.