The falls came in a flurry and a variety of ways for the Albert Lea wrestling team Friday in its dual with Mankato East at Albert Lea High School.

The eighth-ranked Tigers (13-10) won their seventh consecutive dual 59-16 by picking up eight falls.

“We went out there and got the job down and went after the falls,” said Albert Lea head coach Larry Goodnature. “Told the kids to be aggressive and get after the falls and they did it.”

Seven of the falls came in the first period and four came in under a minute. Caleb Kolodge at 152 pounds already held the team’s fastest fall on the year and bested it by one second when he pinned Mankato East’s Adam Burt in 16 seconds. The victory gave the Tigers a 41-4 lead that never appeared in jeopardy. Albert Lea lost just four matches in the dual.

“Our middle of the lineup and lower part of our lineup is pretty strong, pretty solid … a lot of experience there and they’re really starting to come around for us,” Goodnature said.

Garrett Wangsness, ninth-ranked Lucas Hansen, fifth-ranked Trey Hable, fifth-ranked Dalton Westerlund, fourth-ranked Trevor Rasmussen, Carter Kortan and Connor Kortan all won by fall, exactly what the Tigers need as they prepare for the section tournament which begins Feb. 18.

Albert Lea has worked on a variety of pinning combinations in practice and the Tigers went to their arsenal when needed against the Cougars.

“Bonus points are going to be big going into sections so we’re working on pinning combinations,” Rasmussen said. “That’s what we’re going to need, different combinations to get bonus points.”

Rasmussen used a double arm bar in his match for the first time this season and the rest of the team went to a variety of techniques to secure falls.

“Our whole team is being more aggressive than they were at the beginning of the year and that’s coming from confidence and experience,” Goodnature said.

The Tigers faced Adrian, ranked 12th in Class 2A, Saturday in Adrian as this edition went to press.

Albert Lea 59, Mankato East 16

103—Garrett Wangsness (AL) pinned Jim Tong 2:14; 112—Lucas Hansen (AL) pinned Leon Fletcher 1:49; 119—Ricardo Fletcher (ME) maj. dec. Devin Nelson 14-5; 125—Trey Hable (AL) pinned Cole Mosher 1:06; 130—Dalton Westerlund (AL) pinned Ty Johnson 0:38; 135—Cody Hansen (AL) tech. fall Cody Lorentz 5:54; 140—Trevor Rasmussen (AL) pinned Nathan Knutson 1:33; 145—Caleb Kolodge (AL) pinned Adam Burt 0:16; 152—Carter Kortan (AL) pinned Peter Trandom 0:39; 160—Connor Kortan (AL) pinned Jared Nelson 0:50; 171—Mitch Webb (AL) won by forfeit; 189—Dylan Fast (ME) dec. Caleb Gaudian 3-2; 215—Mat Schnorenber (ME) dec. Alex Nielsen 4-2; 285—Collin Gabler (ME) pinned Christian Andersen 1:29.