When Albert Lea High School wrestling coach Larry Goodnature looks at the 2001-02 All-Big Nine Conference team, he finds more than one reason to smile.

Saturday, March 30, 2002

When Albert Lea High School wrestling coach Larry Goodnature looks at the 2001-02 All-Big Nine Conference team, he finds more than one reason to smile.

The first is the Tigers have six selections in Josh Hansen, Neal Underdahl, Adam Elseth, Justin Krueger, Adam Morreim and Brandon Klukow. The second is that only one of them will graduate.

&uot;All of these guys are back next year except Justin Krueger,&uot; said Goodnature, whose team finished second in the Big Nine this past season. &uot;The wrestlers returning should be a good nucleus for our team next year. They all should provide good leadership and be people we can count on.&uot;

No one was tougher in the Big Nine than Hansen and Elseth, who both went 9-0.

Hansen, a junior, went on to win the 103-pound state championship with a record of 38-1. He had 19 falls, 66 takedowns and 194 team points.

Elseth, a sophomore, was third in the state tournament at 135 while registering a record of 38-2 with 13 falls and 177 team points. He set a school record with 123 takedowns and had only 11 takedowns against him all season.

Underdahl was 18-15 overall and 8-1 in the Big Nine at 130, with 12 falls, 39 takedowns and 104 team points.

Krueger was 28-9 overall, 8-1 in the Big Nine and 4-1 in the conference at 171. He pinned 15 opponents and scored 131 team points.

Morreim, 24-12 overall, was 6-3 in conference matches with totals of 73 takedowns, 10 falls and 105 team points.

Klukow was 23-14 overall and 6-3 in the Big Nine. He had seven pins, 42 takedowns and 103 team points.

The 2001-02 all-conference team, by weight, with conference record: 103 – Josh Hansen, Albert Lea, 9-0; Alex Meger, Owatonna, 7-1; 112 – Mike Meger, Owatonna, 9-0; Seth Beyer, Mankato West, 8-1; 119 – Spencer Wolner, Austin, 8-1; Chris Prince, Owatonna, 8-1; 125 – T.J. Parlin, Austin, 9-0; John Schumacher, Mankato East, 9-0; 130 – Neal Underdahl, Albert Lea, 8-1; Wes Graff, Mankato West, 7-1; 135 – Adam Elseth, Albert Lea, 9-0; Drew Johnson, Owatonna, 6-1; 140 – Mark Butler, Owatonna, 7-0; Josh Zabel, Rochester Mayo, 7-2; 145 – Brad Busho, Owatonna, 8-1; Andrey Borkovskiy, Rochester Century, 7-2; 152 – Joe Lawler, Rochester Mayo, 9-0; Paul Durbahn, Mankato West, 9-0; 160 – Eric DuChene, Faribault, 9-0; Eric Seykora, Owatonna, 8-1; 171 – Justin Krueger, Albert Lea, 8-1; Sean Waterbury, Winona, 6-3; 189 – Adam Haake, Winona, 8-1; Justin Sorensen, Owatonna, 6-0; 275 – Jason Juliar, Mankato East, 8-0; Bill Bellingham, Faribault, 8-1;

At-large selections: Adam Morreim, Albert Lea, 6-3; Brandon Klukow, Albert Lea, 6-3; Cody Adams, Mankato East, 7-2; Jake Sheldon, Mankato West, 7-2; Titan Erler, Owatonna, 7-0; Brady Pettis, Owatonna, 6-2; Sam Miller, Rochester Century, 7-2; Nathan Beich, Rochester Century, 6-3; Dan Goodson, Rochester Mayo, 6-3; Andy Leisen, Rochester Mayo, 6-1; Alex Dennehy, Winona, 6-2.