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Sports Memories by Tom Jonees

15 years

• The season came to an end for the Albert Lea boys’ basketball team with a 77-44 loss to New Prague. Jordan Hanson led the Tigers with 10 points.
• The Albert Lea Tigers girls’ basketball team was named the Minnesota State Academic Champions for Class 3A with a 3.848 team grade point average.
• The North American Hockey League and the Albert Lea Parks and Recreation Department were in talks to bring an expansion team to Albert Lea.
• The NRHEG boys’ basketball team fell 74-66 to Triton in the sub-section 2AA East Championship in a game played at Austin High School’s Packer Gym. Brad Kruckberg led the Panthers with 20 points.

20 years

• Luther College senior co-captain Jesse Reyerson, a graduate of Glenville-Emmons won the national championship at 165 pounds at the NCAA Division III wrestling championships in Ada, Ohio.
• Albert Lea Tigers hockey coach Roy Nystrom was named the Section 1A Boys’ Hockey Coach of the Year after guiding his team to a 17-10 record.
• The Albert Lea Tigers wrestling team was crowned Minnesota State Academic Champions with a 3.865 grade point average which was the highest in the history of the award.

50 years

• Alden-Conger wrestler Kim Elvebek was featured in “The Guillotine” magazine after he finished his high school career with a 53-12-1 record including 32 pins.
• The District 241 teachers defeated the Lea College physical education majors 52-48 in a co-ed benefit basketball game played at  Lea College fieldhouse. Barb Willmert led the teachers with 15 points. Bill Morris added six in the win.
• The season came to an end for the Alden-Conger Blackhawks basketball team with a 74-65 loss to Kasson-Mantorville in a Region One Class A play-off game played in front of 3058 fans at Mayo Civic Auditorium. Matt Brummer led the Blackhawks with 28 points.
• Sophomore Mark Breck of the Albert Lea Tigers hockey team was named Honorable Mention in the Southern Minnesota Hockey League. He led the team in scoring with 14 goals and three assists.
• Rochester’s Pat O’Connor was set to resume his professional boxing career with a bout against Charley Austin at the St. Paul Armory.

Alumni update

Albert Lea High School graduate Brandon Antl is in his third year of coaching girls’ basketball at Holy Family Catholic High School in Victoria. He started his coaching career with two years as girls’ varsity coach at Alden-Conger and most recently was an assistant men’s coach at Macalester College. The 2009 graduate led the Fire to a 13-17 record this past season.