Sports Memories by Tom Jones

 

50 years ago: 1969

• In a statistical study by the Rochester Post Bulletin on the recently completed Big Nine Conference football season, Albert Lea’s Rod Tovar was the leading rusher, Dan Fahrman the top passer and John Steubs the leading receiver.

• The Minnesota Twins traded Dean Chance, Ted Uhleander and Craig Nettles to the Cleveland Indians for Luis Tiant and Stan Williams.

• The Albert Lea B-squad hockey team was defeated 3-2 by Farmington in overtime. Gary Stevens and Dean Rudolph scored for the Bengals, who were coached by Bill Intihar.

• Bill Goldsworthy scored twice in an 11-second span in the third period to lead the Minnesota North Stars to an 8-5 victory over the Chicago Black Hawks at the Met Center.

 

25 years ago: 1994

• The Albert Lea junior varsity girls’ basketball team opened its season with a 66-44 victory over Mason City. Jenny Seavey scored 14 points with Christie Strecker and Sarah Wolf adding 12. The team was coached by Steve Cunningham.

• The Alberty Lea hockey team opened its season with a 6-3 win over Owatonna. Ben Olsen scored two goals to lead the Tigers with Dusty Verhey, Nate Ellsworth, Steve Nolander and Travis Brua scoring one.

• The Albert Lea B-squad boys’ basketball team evened its record at 1-1 on the year with a 62-51 win over Eagen. Jeff Weller scored 22 points and Phil Louters added 14 to lead the Bengals, who were coached by Jim Heaney.

 

10 years ago: 2009

• Madi Passingham scored three goals and added an assist while Tasha Moyer added two goals as the Albert Lea Tigers girls’ hockey team defeated Rochester Century 12-0 at City Arena. Cara Nelson earned the shutout in the nets for the Tigers.

• In his first game as an Albert Lea Tiger after moving from Iowa, Kyle Ooms scored 20 points and added 14 rebounds as the Albert Lea boys’ basketball team opened its season with a 51-44 victory over Waseca.

• The Albert Lea High School dance team, under the direction of head coach Allison Ciota, took third place in the jazz competition at the Lakeville Invitational.

 

This year

• Liana Schallock, a 2017 graduate of Albert Lea High School, was a member of the Winona State University women’s rugby club team that won the DII National Championship Dec. 8 in Matthews, North Carolina. The Black Katts defeated Colorado School of Mines 19-10 in the championship game. She is the daughter of Al and Mary Schallock of Albert Lea.