The Albert Lea Tigers moved the football better than they have since the season opener.

Saturday, October 23, 1999

The Albert Lea Tigers moved the football better than they have since the season opener. They couldn’t, however, move it into the end zone.

The Tigers were shut out in the final game of the regular season Wednesday night, dropping an 18-0 decision at Winona.

Albert Lea, which fell to 0-8 with the loss, is seeded sixth among six teams in Section 1, Class 4A and will open tournament play Tuesday at 7 p.m. at third-seeded Farmington.

At Winona, which was also winless entering the game, the Tigers totaled 128 yards, their best offensive output since the opener at Faribault.

With a few bounces, things could have been much different, but most of the breaks went the Winhawks’ way. Winona fumbled four times in the first half and recovered all four, turning one into a broken-play touchdown.

&uot;We came out and did not play very well in the first half,&uot; said coach Steve Cunningham.

The Tigers, as they have much of the season, struggled on their opening offensive possession, committing a penalty on first down and punting three plays later.

Winona then hit on a 37-yard pass play and drove inside the Tigers’ 10-yard line. The defense held and the Winhawks had to settle for a 25-yard field goal.

After an exchange of punts, the Winhawks blocked a Tiger punt, recovered it on the Albert Lea 2-yard line and scored two plays later. The Tigers blocked the PAT kick and it was 9-0 at the end of the first quarter.

The Winhawks missed a 35-yard field goal in the second quarter but, on their next drive, scored on a 40-yard run when their quarterback had a fumble bounce into his hands.

It was 16-0 at halftime.

The only points of the second half came on a safety late in the fourth quarter.

Bryce Williams led the Tigers in rushing with 76 yards. Quarterback Nick Cunningham was 7-for-17 for 39 yards.

&uot;We came out in the second half and played better,&uot; said Coach Cunningham. &uot;We started moving ball and we played well defensively. But it was too little too late. The bottom line is we just didn’t play well enough to win.&uot;