Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1970

• The Montreal Canadians defeated the Minnesota North Stars 4-2 at the Met Sports Center. Bill Goldsworthy and Tommy Williams scored for the North Stars, who stood at 10-17-14 on the season.

• The Lea College basketball team defeated Rockford College 89-76. Howard Wilkens led the Lancers with 28 points and Jim Schockemoehl added 16.

• Louisiana Tech quarterback Terry Bradshaw was selected as the first pick in the NFL draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He had thrown 39 touchdown passes and had 6,589 passing yards in his collegiate career.

 

25 years ago: 1995

• The Alden-Conger girls’ basketball team traveled to Waterville-Elysian-Morristown and defeated the Buccaneers 45-15 in Gopher Conference action. Melissa Mattson scored 13 for the Knights, with Kristi Newman adding 10. The win improved the Knights’ conference record to 8-2.

• The Albert Lea boys’ swim and dive team sent its seven seniors out with a splash as they defeated Winona 100-83 on senior night. The seniors on the team were Scott Anderson, Jake Bonnerup, Andy Eaton, John Micklick, Nate Olson, Greg VanderWaerdt and Chris Rorvick.

• The Austin Community College men’s basketball team was defeated by Anoka Ramsey Community College, 96-85. Glenville-Emmons graduate John Van Beek led the Blue Devils with 26 points.

 

10 years ago: 2010

• The Albert Lea wrestling team went 3-0 at the Champlin Park Invitational. Trey Hable, Dalton Westerlund, Carter Kortan, Connor Kortan and Corey Hansen all went 3-0 in the tournament.

• The Albert Lea dance team placed fourth at the Big Nine Conference meet. Jill Jensen was named Big Nine All-Conference and Whitney Walker and Morgan Ciota were named All-Conference Honorable Mention.

• The United South Central boys’ basketball team defeated Alden-Conger 67-41 in Alden. Kyle Baumann led the Rebels with 22 points, with Spencer Niebuhr leading the Knights with 13 points.

 

This year

• Condolences to the family of Pete Veldman, who passed away this week. The Hollandale native was a 1951 graduate of Albert Lea High School, where he was a three-sport athlete. He lettered three times in track and twice in football and wrestling. He later went on to teach and was athletic director at South Saint Paul. In 2011 he was inducted into the Albert Lea High School Athletic Hall of Fame.