Notes from the Sports Desk by Tyler Julson

 

A couple Albert Lea athletes had an amazing few days this week.

Dylan Scherff, a senior on the basketball team, posted a score of 48 points in the Tigers’ loss to Owatonna on Friday night. Talking with him about it Monday afternoon, he was very humble and passed all the praise on to his teammates.

It seems to me like the boys’ basketball program is in the same spot as the football program was at the beginning of its season. They’re so close to turning that corner and getting a much needed first win. The difference from last year to now is vastly different from what I’ve seen so far. Last season, the Tigers were turnover-prone — they ran the court so fast, they couldn’t keep up with themselves. Now they run a nice tempo offense and use multiple passes on each possession until they find that open shot.

Their game against Mankato East on Tuesday night was a thriller to the end; I thought for sure they were going to pull it out. JJ Mucha-Owen’s run to take over the game at the end was something special to watch. At this point, I don’t think it’s a matter of if anymore, it’s when those wins will come.

The same can be said about the girls’ basketball team. They’ve already gotten a couple wins this season and are primed to take that next step. The great thing about the girls’ team is they’re improving with such young players. If they can keep progressing from season to season, they are going to be a force to be reckoned with in the very near future.

The other athlete to make Albert Lea history this week was senior wrestler Zach Glazier. He became the all-time wins leader in school history with 185 wins, surpassing Logan Kortan who had 182. Glazier is no stranger to the spotlight, being the defending state champion and committing to the University of Iowa — one of the premier wrestling schools in the nation — over the summer. Even though it’s my alma mater’s arch rival, I’m still looking forward to following his career as he moves on to the next level.

I’m also really looking forward to watching the first home dual Thursday night. I haven’t been able to get to a meet yet this year, so I’m excited to see how the team looks.

In other area sports, the Lake Mills boys’ basketball team has been playing really well so far this season. They are 6-1 and only have two seniors on the roster. They finished last year with a record of 9-14, so their hot start has come as a bit of a shock to me.

The United South Central boys’ basketball team is also off to a tremendous 5-1 start after a shaky season last year.

Hopefully both of these teams can keep their momentum going into the postseason and have a nice run through the playoffs.

Tyler Julson is the Tribune sports reporter. Contact him at tyler.julson@albertleatribune.com.