Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

Sports Memories by Tom Jones

15 years

• The Alden-Conger football team saw their season come to an end in a nine-man quarterfinal game when they were defeated by Clinton-Graceville-Beardsley 44-6.
• With the help of Bronx teenagers and legendary players, dirt was moved in pails from the home plate area of the old Yankee Stadium to the new Yankee Stadium that was scheduled to open in 2009.
• Adrian Peterson rushed for 192 yards as the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers 28-27 at the Metrodome.
• Albert Lea High School teacher Jerry Bizjak started a pilot program where athletes could earn a letter in weightlifting in Albert Lea.
• In the Thursday Senior Bowling League at Holiday Lanes, Dick Bothun had the high game for men with a 235 and Lila Johnson led the ladies with a high game of 191.

20 years

• At the Glenville-Emmons football banquet, Derek Lau and Kris Knutson were voted co-Most Valuable Players. Mike Yocum won the Team Pride Award and Wade Johnson was named Most Improved Player.
• Albert Lea girls’ soccer players Katie Dooley and Amy Marka were named to the Big Nine All-Conference team. Brianne Plantage received honorable mention.
• At the Albert Lea High School football banquet, Ryan Moore received the Tigers Roar Award, Ross Habben Most Valuable Back, Jared Butler Most Valuable Linebacker and Randy Larson Most Valuable Player.
• Latrell Sprewell scored 27 points and Kevin Garnett added 21 as the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Orlando Magic 100-71.
• The Northwood-Kensett football team ended their season with a 38-19 loss to Madrid in an Iowa state quarterfinals game played in Madrid. Dave Capatini’s team finished the season with a 9-2 record.

50 years

• The Endres Rangers adult men’s hockey team was preparing to open their season with a four-team tournament featuring Waterloo, Pine City and Faribault that was being played at the fairgrounds ice arena. Coach Bob Sorenson and player-coach Chuck Pappas announced that tickets for the games in the upcoming season would be 50 cents for adults and 25 cents for kids. A season ticket pass was $5.
• Albert Lea’s Doug McDonald, Marty Brandt, Mike Curry and Steve Langemo were named to the Big Nine All-Conference football team.
• Bill Brown, Wally Hilgenberg, Ed Marinaro and John Gilliam scored touchdowns as the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Detroit Lions 28-7 at Metropolitan Stadium.
• The Albert Lea girls’ gymnastics team placed fifth at the Big Nine Conference meet that was held in Faribault. Kris Jacobus placed second in vaulting and Linda Dokken placed third on the beam.
• Freshman Doug Petersen of Albert Lea, competing for the Golden Valley Lutheran College’s cross country team placed 47th at the National junior college cross country meet held in Tallahassee, Florida.

Another state championship

For the second year in a row former Albert Lea track and cross country coach Jerry Kaphers was the assistant coach for the Mankato East boys’ cross country team that won the Class AA state championship on Nov. 4. He coached Albert Lea to six Big Nine cross country championships and was inducted into the Albert Lea High School Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012.