Tigers stun No. 2 Simley

Staff

Published Monday, November 29, 2004

By Jim Lutgens, Tribune Sports Editor

The Albert Lea High School wrestling team was rated No. 3 in the state in Class AAA in the Guillotine's preseason poll.

But coach Larry Goodnature knew the team that was taking the mat against No. 2 Simley was not the same squad that earned the lofty ranking. Six projected starters were missing.

"We're really wounded," said Goodnature.

In the end, Simley was simply stunned.

The Tigers knocked off the Spartans 32-29 in the final dual meet of Saturday's season-opening Albert Lea Invitational.

"We're banged up bad," said Goodnature. "These kids just went out today and dug down a little deeper, and it really paid off. We showed what kind of depth we've got."

The Tigers finished in a three-way tie for first in the five-team tournament in which no team was rated lower than No. 6 in the state. Albert Lea, Simley and Grand

Meadow/LeRoy-Ostrander/Kingsland were all 3-1. NRHEG was 1-3, Cambridge-Isanti 0-4.

After opening with a 55-12 victory over NRHEG, the Tigers fell 31-29 to GMLOK and then defeated Cambridge-Isanti 48-22.

The Albert Lea-Simley meet was a classic. Logan Kortan, Beau Hansen, Nate Granahan and Zach McGinnis scored victories as the Tigers took a 17-12 advantage through seven bouts. Brandon Klukow got a first-period fall at 160 pounds to put the Tigers up 23-21, but they trailed 24-23 after the 171 match. Alex Paul put the Tigers up for good with a dramatic 2-0 overtime victory at 189, and Ben Berhow ensured the win with a first-period pin at 215.

"It's been a while since we've beaten Simley," said Goodnature. "It was good to see. The kids wrestled great. Alex Paul showed a lot of heart winning in overtime."

The Tigers' individual records for the day, by weight: Kortan, 103/112, 3-1; Cody Hansen, 103, 2-0; Mike Olson, 112, 0-1; Isaac Johnson, 119, 2-2; Beau Hansen, 125, 3-1; Granahan, 130, 3-1; McGinnis, 135/140, 4-0; Braden Reyerson, 140, 1-0; Matt Morris, 140-145, 3-1; Darren Honeycutt, 145, 1-1; Jared Butler, 152, 2-2; Klukow, 160, 4-0; Alex Hansen, 171, 2-2; Paul, 189, 2-1; Berhow, 215, 3-1; Tony Malepsy, 275, 1-2; Trent Miller, 275, 0-1.

"We could very easily have gone undefeated in this tournament if we would have had one of our six missing wrestlers in the lineup," said Goodnature. "To go out there and wrestle the way we did, I'm just very pleased. These kids showed me a lot today."

The Albert Lea junior varsity went 2-2, defeating NRHEG 65-6 and GMLOK 58-15 while falling 40-35 to Cambridge-Isanti and 42-34 to Simley.

Junior varsity records for the day: Cody Hansen 2-0; Olson 2-0; Ryan Montgomery 2-2; Teague Miller 3-1; Logan Hansen 4-0; Brandon Mellang 2-1; Justin Johnson 0-1; Reyerson 3-0; Nick Stadheim 3-1; Beau Dodge 0-1; Nate Goodnature 2-1; Jon Kluver 0-1; Tim Frazier 3-1; Joe Wurst 1-3; Nate Lombardi 1-3; Matt Vietze 2-2; Miller 3-0; Jamie Zuniga 1-0.

The Tigers open their Big Nine season Thursday at home against Mankato West.

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