Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago

• Darrel “Buck” Heegard of Ramsey Golf Course in Austin defeated George Lea of Humboldt, Iowa in the final match of the championship flight to capture the 41st annual Albert Lea Country Club’s Shortstop Golf Tournament.

• Undefeated boxing champion Rocky Marciano died in a plane crash in a farmyard in Newton, Iowa, on the way to giving a speech and what was to be a surprise birthday celebration for him in Des Moines.

• Junior fullback Ron Boeck ran for two yards for the only score with LeMar Staloch adding the two-point conversion in Freeborn Yeoman’s 8-0 victory over Glenville in non-conference football action.

 

25 years ago

• The Albert Lea Tigers football team traveled to Winona and picked up a season-opening 7-6 win over the Winhawks at Paul Giel Field. Adam Conn rushed for 183 yards for the Tigers. Quarterback Steve Nolander’s five-yard run along with Mike Westland’s extra point was the lone scoring for the Tigers.

• The Alden-Conger volleyball team opened its season with a 3-0 win over Blooming Prairie. Kristi Newman’s four kills and Melissa Mattson’s three led the Knights. Katie Toenges was 19-19 serving.

• Both the Albert Lea boys’ and girls’ cross country teams placed ninth at the St. Olaf Invitational in Northfield. Heidi Irvine was the leader for the girls with a time of 14:15 on the three-mile course. Scott Erickson led the boys, running the 5,000 meters in 16:20. The teams were coached by Howie Melom.

 

10 years ago

• The Albert Lea Tigers volleyball team rallied from two games down to tie its match with Southland, but fell 15-7 in the fifth game to lose 3-2. Bethany Sekora had 20 kills and Courthey Schnaith had 29 digs to lead the Tigers.

• The Albert Lea girls’ tennis team defeated New Ulm 7-0. Taylor Nelson, Sarah Wenum, Michelle Hartmann and Jenna Segar picked up singles wins for the Tigers.

• Jason Kubel and Joe Mauer homered for the Minnesota Twins in a 4-1 victory over the Chicago White Sox. Nick Blackburn pitched seven innings, striking out a career-high seven batters to get the win for the Twins, who were within 3 1/2 games of first-place Detroit.

 

This year

• Emmitt Stevens, a 2016 graduate of Albert Lea High School, is a senior on the University of Minnesota-Crookston’s football roster this fall. As a junior he appeared in all 11 games with six starts at middle linebacker. The Golden Eagles start their season Thursday when they host University of Minnesota-Moorhead in Crookston.