Austin has one of its best girls’ basketball teams in years and Albert Lea has one of its most inexperienced.

Still, a rivalry is a rivalry and, all things considered, the Tigers didn’t give the Packers a bad run while falling 68-43 in the Albert Lea High School gym Friday night.

&uot;One of our girls said, ‘We gave them a scare,’ and for a while we did,&uot; said ALHS coach Karol Hansen. &uot;We played them real tough tonight. We made a run at them in the second quarter and we played a real good third quarter, which typically has been a rough spot for us. We really lost the game in the first quarter and the fourth.&uot;

Especially the first, when the Packers bolted to a 21-6 lead. It was 36-19 at halftime, 51-33 after three quarters.

&uot;We played some real good basketball in the second and third,&uot; said Hansen. &uot;It all goes back to putting together four good quarters.&uot;

But, Hansen added, much of it was due to a good Austin team, which won for the ninth time in a row while improving to 10-2 overall. The Packers are ranked No. 7 in the state in Class AAA.

&uot;You can’t take anything away from Austin,&uot; said Hansen. &uot;They have a real good team. Anytime you can have a nine-game winning streak in the Big Nine, you’re playing good basketball. They have a lot of depth on their team and a lot of experience. They’re a very solid ball team.&uot;

Amy Ravenhorst led the Tigers with 15 points and four steals. Danielle Rankin had 12 points, five rebounds, five assists and two steals, Amber Edwards six points and nine rebounds. Also scoring: Nicole Rafdal three, Ashley Helgerson two, Heather Stegenga two, Katie Stenseth one, Jenny Hovendick one. Stenseth had six rebounds, Hovendick three assists.

The Packers had five scorers in double figures. Stephanie Eslinger had 13, Laura Geffert 12, Lisa Bue 12, Amy Kelly 11, Keri Feller 11.

The Tigers, 1-7 in the Big Nine and 3-12 overall, host Fairmont Tuesday.