The Rochester Mayo Spartans got another shot at the Albert Lea High School wrestling team.

Friday, February 15, 2002

The Rochester Mayo Spartans got another shot at the Albert Lea High School wrestling team.

It missed.

The Tigers, who narrowly defeated Mayo earlier this season, upended the Spartans 35-28 in a Section 1AAA quarterfinal dual meet at ALHS Thursday night.

&uot;With the changes in Mayo’s lineup since the last time we met, a lot of people predicted we’d get beat tonight,&uot; said Tigers coach Larry Goodnature. &uot;Our upperclassmen stepped it up. We needed them to come through with the big wins and they did it.&uot;

The third-seeded Tigers improved to 15-6 in duals and advanced to Saturday’s semifinal round against second-seeded Northfield at 11 a.m. at the Rochester Mayo Civic Center. The championship meet follows at 1 p.m.

Sixth-seeded Mayo, coached by former Albert Lea wrestler Dwight Gingerich, manhandled Rochester John Marshall prior to facing the Tigers Thursday. The Spartans, who have never beaten Albert Lea in a wrestling dual meet, finished 13-7.

&uot;Mayo has an excellent team,&uot; said Goodnature. &uot;Their kids go hard, they’re good competitors.&uot;

Goodnature said there were three &uot;swing&uot; matches – or bouts that could have gone either way – and, when the Tigers lost the first two, things got a little tense.

&uot;But the team didn’t get down,&uot; said Goodnature. &uot;They just dug in a little harder.&uot;

The teams traded falls to open the meet, with the Tigers’ Josh Hansen winning at 103 and Alex Hansen losing at 112. Nate Goodnature lost 6-4 in overtime at 119, but Brandon Klukow got those points back with a key 5-1 win at 125.

After Neal Underdahl lost a 15-6 major decision at 130, Adam Elseth wasted little time winning by fall at 135. Adam Morreim followed with a fall at 140, beating a wrestler he lost to 4-3 earlier. That put the Tigers up 21-13.

Cory Frerk and Dustin Eggum were pinned at 145 and 152, respectively, giving Mayo a 25-21 lead. A 12-1 major decision by Justin Krueger at 160 tied it at 25.

The most exciting match of the night – and one of the most pivotal – was at 171, where the Tigers’ Derek Goodnature avenged a 15-8 loss with a 20-10 major decision.

The Tigers got the victory when Mayo forfeited to Randy Larson at 189.

Adam Lares, moved from 189 to heavyweight, lost 4-2 in overtime.

Though the Tigers lost to the teams seeded ahead of them in the section – Northfield and Owatonna – Coach Goodnature said they’ll be ready for Saturday.

&uot;This team battles, they don’t lay down for anyone,&uot; said Goodnature. &uot;We’ll wrestle tough. I know we will.&uot;