Tigers ride bonus points in last 3 matches to victory

The No. 9 Class AAA Albert Lea wrestling team rallied for a two-point win over Farmington and lost to a pair of ranked teams Saturday at Prior Lake.

Against Farmington, the Tigers took a 9-0 lead with decisions by Garrett Aldrich, Gavin Ignaszewski and Bryce Hoyt. However, Farmington won seven of the next eight matches to build a 28-12 advantage.

With three matches left, Albert Lea needed to win out with bonus points. Tim Christianson made quick work of Farmington’s Trevor Frost in the 195-pound weight class by pinning him in 24 seconds. Triston Westerlund followed suit at 220 pounds by pinning Farmington’s C.J. Wynings in 1 minute and 29 seconds.

The Tigers needed another fall to complete the comeback, and Will Mendez provided it in 1 minute and 50 seconds.

“It (Mendez’s pin) was right in front of our bench, and the kids went wild.” said Albert Lea head coach Larry Goodnature.

The Tigers beat Farmington — a team that made the The Guillotine’s lean and mean category — 30-28.

Against No. 2 Class AAA Prior Lake, Albert Lea lost 41-19. The Tigers also lost to No. 4 Class AA Simley 46-9.

“We wrestled some of the best teams in the state, and the kids need to learn to play at that level,” Goodnature said. “It’s a great learning experience. We need to learn better technique.”

Devin Nelson beat all of his opponents in the 145-pound weight class, and he had some tough competition. He pinned Zach Spychalla — the No. 3-ranked wrestler at 145 pounds in Class AA — in 2 minutes and 50 seconds, and he beat Blake Carlisle — the No. 3-ranked wrestler in Class AAA at 152 pounds — with a 5-2 decision.

“He (Nelson) was our only guy who went 3-0,” Goodnature said. “He had a fantastic day.”

Next, Albert Lea will wrestle at Faribault at 7 p.m. Thursday.

View statistics in the Scoreboard: Dec. 14 post.