Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1969

• The Albert Lea Tigers wrestling team opened its season with a 22-20 loss to Caledonia. Rick Riemann, Jeff Richgels, Ken Peterson, Larry Goodnature, Mike Jean and Tom Jean picked up wins for the Tigers.

• Two former Albert Lea boxers, Frank and Fred Jiminez, were scheduled to head the preliminary card for the Pat O’Connor-Joseph Zacchus fight at Rochester’s Mayo Civic Auditorium.

• The Lea College Lancers basketball team was set to open their season under coach Al Arends with a game at Lea College Fieldhouse against Wisconsin-Stout. Halftime was to feature a game with the northside and downtown merchants playing the southside and Skyline Plaza merchants.

 

25 years ago: 1994

• The Albert Lea girls’ basketball team, under coach Karol Hansen, opened its season with a 69-39 victory over Waseca at the Southwest gym. Heidi Irvine led the Tigers with 16 points and six rebounds.

• Alden-Conger girls’ basketball coach Jim Luebke picked up his first coaching win for the Knights with a 48-47 win over Martin Luther. JoDell Bendickson led the Knights with 18 points.

• Coming off the championship at the Great Alaskan Shootout, the University of Minnesota men’s basketball team defeated Sacramento State 102-84 to improve to 4-0 on the season. Voshon Lenard led the Gophers with 28 points.

 

10 years ago: 2009

• At the Albert Lea Tigers volleyball banquet, Kristine Kelly was named Big Nine All-Conference and Courtney Schnaith and Caylee Tennis were named All-Conference honorable mention.

• Brett Favre completed 32 of 48 passes for 392 yards and three touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Chicago Bears 36-10 at the Metrodome. Percy Harvin caught six passes for 101 yards.

• The Albert Lea Thunder ended a six-game losing streak with a 6-1 victory over the Owatonna Express at Four Seasons Arena in Owatonna. Ben Waalkens turned away 39 shots in picking up his second victory of the season.

 

This year

• Madi Fleek, a junior at Albert Lea High School, was a member of the Mohawk girls’ rugby team of Mason City this fall and was named All-State in the Iowa Youth Rugby Association. She is also a member of the Freeborn Eagles girls’ rugby club team and is the daughter of Sheri Jorgenson and Derek Fleek.