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Coming off a tough homecoming loss last week, the Albert Lea football team found itself on the road Friday night facing the tall task of matching up with Winona.

Turnovers plagues the Tigers early as they committed four turnovers in the first quarter. The Winhawks took advantage of the Tigers miscues, running away with a victory 60-21.

A bizarre sequence of plays opened the game as the Tigers gave up the ball on the opening kickoff, turning it over to the Winhawks on the 20-yard line. On the very next offensive play, the Winhawks fumbled the ball themselves, with Albert Lea jumping on top of the ball. Taking back possession, the Tigers then fumbled ball on their first offensive play, giving the ball back to the Winhawks.

Winona stopped the madness a play later, pushing into the endzone on a 3-yard rush to take a 7-0 lead.

The fumble bug continued to pester the Tigers through the rest of the first quarter as the Winhawks built up a 35-0 lead by the end of the quarter.

The Tigers got a couple momentum boosts in the second quarter when senior Max Edwin took a kickoff return to the house, scamping for 83 yards along the way.

Senior Dakota Jahnke also found fellow senior Tanner Conn on a slant route that went 73 yards to the endzone.

The Tigers won the second quarter 14-13, but were still trailing 54-14 at the halftime break.

The struggles continued in the second half for Albert Lea. The Tigers held the Winhawks to just six points in the half, but were unable to get into the endzone thhemselves until the final two minutes of the game. The score came on a 62-yard touchdown pass from Jahnke to Andrew Westing.

Look to the Albert Lea Tribune online for full stats from the game as they become available.

The Tigers fall to 0-5 an will be back on the field Friday when they host the Cougars of Mankato East.