No. 3 Wangsness, No. 5 Hable were Tigers’ biggest risers

The Tigers are finally on the rise.

After being sixth in every state wrestling ranking this season, the Albert Lea wrestling team is ranked fourth in ratings published Friday by The Gullotine.

Apple Valley remains the No. 1-ranked team in Class AAA, followed by No. 2 Hastings and No. 3 St. Michael-Albertville. Cambridge-Isatni, who the Tigers beat earlier this season, is ranked fifth, and Owatonna slipped from No. 3 to No. 6.

Dakota Wangsness tied for as the biggest riser for the Tigers, moving from No. 6 to No. 3 at 103 pounds.

At 145 pounds, the Tigers’ Trey Hable moved from No. 8 to No. 5 and at 152 pounds, Dalton Westerlund moved from No. 3 to No. 2.

At 160 pounds, Cory Hansen remains the No. 3-ranked wrestler and at 171 pounds, Carter Kortan moved up a spot from No. 7 to No. 6.

Conner Kortan, who dramatically beat No. 3-ranked Coyte Kuefner on Jan. 13, rose from No. 7 to No. 6, while Kuefner fell four spots to No. 7.

After falling out of the rankings on Jan. 14, Tigers’ heavyweight Alex Nielsen reappeared at No. 10 this week. The only Tigers wrestler to fall out of the ranking was 215-pounder Caleb Gaudian. Gaudian was ranked No. 10 in the ratings published Jan. 14.

The No. 4 Tigers wrestle again Thursday at Mankato East. See the Scoreboard for the complete ranking.