Sports Memories by Chuck Anderson

50 years ago: 1967

• Head football coach of the Albert Lea High School football team, Jim Gustafson, greeted the following letter winners for the 1967 season: Donn Drommerhausen, Eric Oslund, Bruce Dahl, Harold Schumacher, Randy Johnson, Dick Pagel, Gary Barb, Dennis Larson, Chuck Pappas, John Haried, Jay Goskeson, Mike Malepsy and Jay Gustafson.                 

• Lorrane Goette tripled to lead off in the bottom of the eighth inning and scored the winning run on a ground out for the Kristy softball team in its 6-5 victory over Piggly-Wiggly to win the playoff for first place in the Albert Lea Women’s Softball League.

• ALHS cross country coach Jerry Kaphers greeted the following six letter winners for the 1967 season: Brendan O’Brian, Jim Parry, Tim Peterson, Ross Dahlke, Shannon McCoul and Dave Vande-Brak.

25 years ago: 1992

• Tom Dyrdal, a 1975 graduate of ALHS and the head coach of the ALHS girls’ tennis team, greeted letter winners Keri Reed, Gretchen Buegg, Sarah Volkenant, Kristen Adams and Fay Oliver at the start of the 1967 season. Dyrdal had been the head coach for the Tigers for seven seasons and compiled a record of 61-38.

• The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Cleveland Browns 56-3 in an NFL preseason football game. Vikings quarterback Rich Gannon completed 12 of 14 passes for 191 yards and rookie running back Ronnie West ran for two touchdowns. 

10 years ago: 2007

• The ALHS girls’ tennis team defeated Lyle/Pacelli 7-0. Winners in singles were at No. 1 Dezeray Jacobs, No. 2 Hali Hendrickson, No. 3 Kelli Hanson and No. 4 Taylor Nelson. Winners in doubles were at No. 1 Sarah Wenum and Erica Blikenderfer, No. 2 Mikaela Pierson and Kellsie Dieser and Alarie Mara and Amy Bohlen.

• In a close match, the United South Central girls’ tennis team defeated Owatonna 4-3. Winning matches for the Rebels were Jordan Anderson at No. 3 singles and Taylor Alis at No. 4 singles. Doubles winners for the Rebels were Molly Yokiel and Jessica Stensrud at No. 1 and Emma Stenzel and Kelli Robbins at No. 2.