After facing Big Nine powers Rochester John Marshall, Rochester Mayo, Owatonna and Mankato West, you might have figured the toughest part of the schedule was behind the Albert Lea High School football team.

Thursday, October 04, 2001

After facing Big Nine powers Rochester John Marshall, Rochester Mayo, Owatonna and Mankato West, you might have figured the toughest part of the schedule was behind the Albert Lea High School football team.

Not just yet.

The Tigers have another top-notch opponent Friday when they travel to meet conference co-leader Mankato East.

In terms of pure talent at the skill positions, the Cougars could be the best team the Tigers have faced this year. They’re 5-0, coming off a 39-0 drubbing of Rochester Century, and the only team this year to beat Rochester Mayo, which spoiled the Tigers’ homecoming 47-0 last week.

On paper, it doesn’t look good for the Tigers.

Last week’s win lifted the Cougars to No. 2 in Class 4A in the Associated Press rankings. Through four games, East was leading the Big Nine in rushing with an average of 277 yards per game and was second in total offense at 312.7 yards per game. Quarterback Craig Dahl is far and away the Big Nine’s leading rusher, with 707 yards on 58 attempts in four games, an average of 12.7 yards per carry; he scored 10 touchdowns and had a long run of 90 in the first four games. The Cougars were No. 2 in total defense.

&uot;They haven’t lost a game and there are reasons for that,&uot; said Tigers coach Jeff Marty. &uot;They’re playing very well.&uot;

The Tigers have ranked last in the Big Nine in total offense and defense, though they’ve played well defensively at times and the offense has improved the past two games.

And recent results have people wondering just how good the Tigers are and can be. A week after Albert Lea nearly knocked off Faribault, the Falcons beat a Mankato West team that a week earlier gave Rochester John Marshall – rated No. 4 in Class 5A – all it could handle in a 17-14 loss.

&uot;I told the kids Monday that I think they’re selling themselves short,&uot; said Marty. &uot;Mankato West was knocked off by Faribault, which we had down 6-0 in the third quarter. If you look at that, you’ve got to have some confidence in what we’re doing. The guys just need to believe in themselves and get that confidence built up, and I think they can do some good things. They have every right to be confident in the things they can do.&uot;

The Tigers’ award winners for last week: Lineman of the Week, Adam Lares; Special Teams Player of the Week, Josh Hansen; Big Dog Hit, Anton Grove.

Two area teams have their homecoming game Friday. United South Central, 4-1 after a 28-0 victory over New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva last week, hosts Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton while NRHEG entertains Blooming Prairie. Glenville-Emmons plays at Grand Meadow. Alden-Conger meets Lyle/Austin Pacelli at Alden, Lake Mills hosts Applington-Parkersburg and Northwood-Kensett travels to Nora Springs-Rock Falls.