Albert Lea rolls past 4 opponents to win title at New Prague tourney

Success through the first six weight classes gave the Albert Lea wrestling team an early foothold in four wins that resulted in a tournament championship Saturday at New Prague.

The No. 4 (AA) Tigers beat St. Peter 50-13, Sibley East 55-15, Chatfield, 68-12 and No. 7 (AA) New Prague 45-18.

In 24 individual matches from 106 to 138 pounds, Albert Lea had a combined record of 21-3 and outscored opponents 101-9.

“We’ve got a good team from start to finish, but our lighter weights are really getting us going,” said Tigers coach Larry Goodnature. “They give us a good start every match.”

Through four matches, Albert Lea produced 22 pins and only gave up two.

“I can’t single out an individual on this whole team because they’re all wrestling great and competing,” Goodnature said. “I call it the Albert Lea wrestling attitude: physical, aggressive and relentless. They’ve bought into the program, and they’re doing what we ask them to do.”

Against St. Peter, the Tigers jumped out to a 26-3 lead and won 11 of 14 matches with falls by Jake Johnsrud at 113 pounds in 2:52 and Parker Mullenbach at 182 in 1:48.

After beating the Saints, Albert Lea rode pins from Zach Glazier, Brody Nielsen, Jesse Hernandez, Mason Hammer, Chris Nelson and Tanner Palmer to a 40-point win over Sibley East, a team listed with nine other teams in the Guillotine’s lean and mean section of the polls that follows the top 12.

Although Sibley East managed a pair of decisions through the first four matches, Albert Lea outscored the Wolverines 46-9 the rest of the way.

Against Chatfield, the 2013-14 Class A state champion, the Tigers won the first six matches, gave up a pin at 145 and went on to win the next six matches before giving away six points at 285 with a forfeit.

The last match of the tournament was between Albert Lea and New Prague. At that point, both teams were 3-0 on the day.

The Tigers rocketed to a 33-0 lead by winning the first seven matches and didn’t look back. Falls were earned by Nic Cantu, Joe Peterson, Gavin Ignaszewski, Glazier, Hammer and Palmer.

“You can tell they’re a close-knit group, and they’re having a lot of fun,” Goodnature said.

Next, Albert Lea (8-0, 1-0 Big Nine) will compete at 5 p.m. Thursday in a triangular with Winona at Mankato East.