The Albert Lea ninth-grade football team won its fifth game in a row Thursday with a convincing 40-7 victory over Mankato East at Hammer Stadium.

The Tigers offense scored on it first two possessions of the first quarter and opened up a 14-0 lead. Touchdowns were scored by Kohl Kriewall and Bany Chan, with Drew Cole and Cody Scherff hooking up for a two-point conversion.

Late in the second quarter, East capitalized on a Tigers fumble and made the score 14-7.

With 2:20 left in the first half, the Tigers’ Bany Chan broke loose for an 80-yard touchdown run. The duo of Cody Scherff and Drew Cole hooked up again for the two-point conversion making the score 22-7 at halftime. “We are playing good football right now,” Albert Lea coach Jeff Jimenez said. “On offense, we are executing and running on all cylinders.”

To start the second half, the Tigers defense held on downs. On the Tigers’ first offensive possession, Shea Svendsen capped a 60-yard drive with a touchdown giving the Tigers a 28-7 lead.

The Tigers defense stepped up big in the second half recording five sacks and a fumble recovery. Jesus Aguirre, Levi Hanson and Alex Seuser led the defense.

“We played well in all facets of the game,” Tigers coach Kane Malo said. “We played a solid game.”

Shea Svendsen and Kohl Kriewall each added a touchdown in the fourth quarter to give the Tigers a 40-7 lead.

“We have a good group of kids,” Jimenez said. “They all contribute and they all play hard.”

The final game of the season is Thursday at Noon against Austin at Hammer Field.