After 10 bouts in the championship match of the Zumbrota-Mazeppa tournament, the Albert Lea wrestling team was in uncommon territory.

The Tigers trailed 25-18.

However, No. 3 Class AA Albert Lea used a decision and two falls in the final four bouts to rally past No. 9 Class A Zumbrota-Mazeppa 33-31 Saturday after beating Stewartville 53-18 and Wisconsin’s Cochrane-Fountain City 74-0.

“Something I found out about this team is we can come back from adversity,” said Larry Goodnature. “It was a great comeback, and something we haven’t had to deal with much this year.”

In the championship match, the Tigers had a rocky start. Zach Glazier, ranked No. 3 at 106 pounds, was upset by Zumbrota-Mazeppa’s Spencer DeFrang with a pin in 5:22.

Albert Lea took its first lead with a pin by No. 1-ranked Garrett Aldrich at 120 after a 5-3 decision by Gavin Ignaszewski at 113, but the Cougars bounced back with wins in the next two weight classes to give the Tigers a 15-9 deficit.

Instead of wrestling Aldrich, Zumbrota-Mazeppa bumped Joey Majerus, ranked No. 2 at 120 pounds, to the 126-pound match where he defeated Albert Lea’s Brody Nielsen with an 11-5 decision.

Beau Johnsrud lost by fall at 138.

Goodnature said Glazier and Johnsrud were winning their matches before they were pinned.

The Tigers rebounded with a 1-0 decision by Blake Simon at 138 and a fall by Santana Acosta at 145.

Zumbrota-Mazeppa went on to win the next three bouts with two decisions and a major decision to take a 25-18 lead with four matches left.

Albert Lea’s Parker Mullenbach came through at 182 pounds with a 4-2 decision over Noah Prodzinski.

“Parker got a big win for us,” Goodnature said. “He had to win to make it possible for us.”

Tim Christianson, ranked No. 9 at 182 pounds, wrestled at 195 and pinned Seth Tupper in 3:59 to give the Tigers a 27-25 lead.

Triston Westerlund, ranked No. 2, sealed the win with a fall in 45 seconds.

The bonus points came in handy as Zumbrota-Mazeppa won the heavyweight match with a fall that would’ve given the Cougars a one-point win if either Christianson or Westerlund would’ve won by a decision instead of their pins.

Five of the eight tournament teams were listed in the Guillotine’s polls or in the lean and mean category. Stewartville was a lean and mean team in Class AA.

“We got the kids fired up for that one,” Goodnature said. “The kids really wanted it and wrestled great.”

Albert Lea won the first five matches to take a 26-point lead and led 44-6 after nine bouts.

“It was a fun dual,” Goodnature said. “We were just aggressive and physical. We really went for the bonus points and the falls.”

Next, Albert Lea will host Freedom Night against Rochester John Marshall at 7 p.m. Thursday. Current military personnel and veterans will be recognized and receive free admission.

The Tigers will have their first Alumni Wrestling Day against No. 2 Class A Adrian at 3 p.m. Jan. 31.

Goodnature said the alumni will be announced and a social at Green Lea Golf Course will follow the meet against Adrian.