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Sports Memories by Tom Jones

15 years

• The Albert Lea boys’ hockey team wrapped up their regular season with a 9-2 victory over Winona, giving the Tigers 20 wins on the season. Adam Royce had a hat trick for the Tigers.
• The Albert Lea wrestling team defeated Owatonna 28-22 to advance to their third straight state tournament appearance. Corey Hansen, Cody Hansen, Logan Kortan, Anthony Tippett, Logan Hansen, Ethan Reed and Andrew Peterson recorded wins for the Tigers.
• Albert Lea’s Chris Dorman and Matt Van Fossen were named to the Big Nine all-conference boys’ swimming and diving team.

20 years

• The Albert Lea boys’ basketball team completed a season sweep of the Austin Packers with a 68-58 win. Ben Woodside led the Tigers with 31 points with Tyler Young adding 14.
• Junior Danielle Rankin scored 18 points in a losing effort as the Albert Lea Tigers girls’ basketball team fell to Winona 54-35 on senior night.
• The Albert Lea girls’ 8th grade A traveling basketball team took first place in the Albert Lea Tournament by defeating Northfield, Rochester John Marshall and Mason City. Niki Hendrickson led the way for Albert Lea with 32 points over the three games.
• Albert Lea wrestlers Adam Elseth, Josh Hansen, Adam Morreim and Dustin Eggum quailified for the state wrestling tournament that was being held at Excel Energy Center.

50 years

• Buster Harvey and J.P. Parise each scored two goals to lead the Minnesota North Stars to a 5-2 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
• Minnesota Twins president Calvin Griffith announced that shortstop Danny Thompson would be able to play in the upcoming season after he was diagnosed with a form of Leukemia at Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
• Albert Lea’s Gary Neist spoke to members of the Albert Lea Kiwanis Club about his experience as part of the United States Greco-Roman style contingent at the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. He talked of wrestling Iowa State’s 450-pound Olympic bronze medalist Chris Taylor in a practice session.
• The Albert Lea b-squad girls’ basketball team defeated Rochester John Marshall 16-5. Carolyn Cerrato led the Bengals with six points. In the varsity game, Albert Lea fell 39-29. Patsy Slegh led the locals with 13 points.
• The Albert Lea Tigers hockey team saw their season come to an end when they were defeated 5-0 by Hastings at Wakota Arena in St. Paul. Coach Les Ettienne’s team finished the season 3-14-1.