Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

Editor’s Note: Due to microfilm not being available, the 25 years has been replaced with 75 years.

 

75 years ago: 1943

• The Albert Lea B football team defeated the Austin Scarlets 26-0. Milton Berhow, Boe Nelson and Tony Kirsch stood out for the Tigers.

• Jackie Graves, the 1942 National Amateur Boxing Champion from Austin, was signed to headline the first fall boxing show at the auditorium in Rochester.

• The Albert Lea Tigers football team traveled to Fairmont and ended the Cardinals 52-game home win streak with a 12-7 victory. Stan Malepsy’s seven-yard run in the first quarter and Lloyd Ball’s nine-yard run in the third quarter were the lone scores for the Tigers.

 

50 years ago: 1968

• The American Basketball Association’s Minnesota Pipers, led by star Connie Hawkins, were preparing to play their third exhibition game of the season against the New York Nets at Mason City Civic Auditorium.

• The top-ranked Albert Lea Tigers football team traveled to Austin and in front of 6,500 fans, defeated the Packers 21-0 to go to 6-0 on the year. Randy Bottelson, Chuck Sherman and Greg Sainsbury scored for the Tigers

• The Alden football team celebrated Homecoming with a 70-0 victory over Frost. Keith Van Deer scored three touchdowns to lead the Blackhawks.

 

10 years ago: 2008

• The Albert Lea boys’ soccer season came to an end when the team was defeated by Caledonia 3-1 in Class 1A playoffs. Oscan Hernandez scored the lone goal for the Tigers, who finished 7-11-1 on the year.

• The Albert Lea Tigers girls’ soccer team advanced to the Section 2A semifinals with a 4-0 win over Worthington. Sophie Miller scored two goals for the Tigers and Taylor Friehl and Mariah Maras each added one.

• United South Central senior tennis players Molly Yokiel and Kellie Robbins were preparing for Section 2AA play at No. 1 doubles, having not lost a single set on the year. The duo entered the tournament with a 19-0 record.

 

This year

• Kathryn Flaherty, a 2017 graduate of Albert Lea High School and daughter of Sean and Kristen Flaherty of Albert Lea, is the starting goalkeeper for the University of Wisconsin-Plateville Pioneers. The sophomore started her collegiate career playing one year at North Iowa Area Community College before transferring to the Pioneers, where she has a 5-4 record with three shutouts and a 1.70 goals against average in the nine games she has started.