Throughout the years, the Albert Lea High School wrestling team has had some shockingly strong performances against the always tough Owatonna Huskies.

Friday, December 17, 1999

Throughout the years, the Albert Lea High School wrestling team has had some shockingly strong performances against the always tough Owatonna Huskies.

It all seemed to turn around Thursday night.

The Tigers couldn’t do much right in their home opener while falling 55-3 to the Huskies in a Big Nine dual meet at Southwest Junior High School.

Owatonna, ranked No. 2 in Class AAA state poll, remained unbeaten while the Tigers fell to 1-4 overall and 0-2 in the Big Nine.

The lone victory of the night for the Tigers came at 119 pounds, where eighth-grader Adam Elseth scored a 7-2 decision. The win improved Elseth’s season record to 7-2.

The Tigers’ Jake Goodnature lost a heartbreaker at 171, giving up a reversal in the final seconds of the match to drop a 4-3 decision to Joe Butler.

In one of the most anticipated bouts of the meet, Albert Lea’s Jens Levisen came off an injury for his first match of the season against Wade Prestegard, who claimed a 10-6 decision.

In another match expected to be exciting, Owatonna’s Clint Sykora caught Brody Page in the second period and won by fall.

The Tigers’ Joel Busch gave veteran Cory Urban a battle through two periods at 152 before Urban pulled away for a 16-8 major decision.

The Tigers forfeited at 112, 135 and heavyweight.

Here’s how the other matches went: 103, Josh Hansen lost 14-0; 125, Adam Morreim lost by fall; 130, Jon Murray lost by technical fall; 145, Alan Attig lost by fall; 160, Blaine Swenson lost by fall.

The Tigers’ junior varsity lost 55-9 for its first setback of the season. Winning for the Tigers were Jason Gordon at 140 and Andy Davis at heavyweight.

The Tigers wrestle Saturday in the Faribault Invitational.