Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

75 years ago: 1943

• The Albert Lea Tigers football team was preparing for a Homecoming battle with Rochester in a game that was to be played at Abbott Field. The Tigers were 4-0 on the year and Rochester was 2-2.

• The Iowa State football team was bolstered with three players having their first practice after transferring there for Naval aviation training.

• The Minnesota Gophers men’s basketball team had its roster cut to 20 players with a possibility of adding more with a shipment of Naval trainees that would be invading the campus in the next month.

 

50 years ago: 1968

• The Albert Lea Tigers cross country team, led by coach Jerry Kaphers, captured the Big Nine Conference cross country championship at Owatonna Country Club. Dave Vande Brake paced the Tigers with a time of 10:22.

• Dick Mulkern, head football coach at Hamline University, was announced to be the featured speaker at Albert Lea Quarterback Club’s annual season-ending banquet.

• Albert Lea’s B-squad football team ended its regular season with a 7-1 record by trouncing Mankato, 41-19. Mike Pappas had a 93-yard kickoff return to start the second half for the Bengals.

 

10 years ago: 2008

• The Lake Mills volleyball team celebrated a 3-1 victory over Central Springs in the quarterfinals of the Class 2A Region 5 playoffs. Cassie Christianson paced the Lake Mills offense with 32 assists.

• Kevin Love had 12 points, nine rebounds and two blocked shots in 19 minutes as the rookie made his debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 98-96 win over the Sacramento Kings.

• Northwood-Kensett defeated Lisbon 48-21 in the substate round of the Class A football playoffs in Iowa. Sam Arnold, Phil Fierova and Ryan Mueller had touchdowns for the Vikings.

 

This year

• Darren Peterson, a 1991 graduate of Albert Lea High School, is in his 21st year of coaching football at Baldwin-Woodville High School in Baldwin, Wisconsin. Peterson is the defensive coordinator for the sixth seed (in their section) Blackhawks, who were scheduled to play the second seed and undefeated Northwestern Tigers on Friday night. He also has been the head boys’ and girls’ track and field coach the past 15 seasons.