Sports Memories: Blades amateur hockey team plays 1st game of season

Published 9:00 pm Friday, February 2, 2024

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Sports Memories by Tom Jones

Tom Jones

15 years

  • Katie Hallman scored 18 points and Nadean Krueger added 11 as the Alden-Conger Knights girls’ basketball team ended a two-game losing streak with a 66-33 win over Madelia.
  • The Albert Lea boys’ hockey team defeated Mankato East 10-2 at the City Arena. Tyler Prihoda scored four goals in the game which gave him 22 on the season.
  • The Albert Lea boys’ basketball team fell 70-42 to Faribault at the high school gym. Sean Templeman led the Tigers with eight points.
  • The Albert Lea High School dance team took first place in the high kick competition at the Eden Prairie Invitational. The team was coached by Allison Ciota.

20 years

  • Ben Woodside scored 24 points and Stephen Thorn added 15 as the Albert Lea boys’ basketball team traveled to Austin and defeated the Packers 59-51.
  • The Minnesota Wild defeated the Pittsburg Penguins 4-2. The win spoiled the return of Penguins rookie goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, who had been playing for Canada in the World Junior Championships.
  • The Carolina Panthers defeated the Philadelphia Eagles 14-3 to advance to the Super Bowl where they would be playing New England. The Patriots had advanced by defeating Indianapolis. 24-14.
  • The Albert Lea Blades adult amateur hockey team played its first game of the season, falling 6-2 to Rochester Landon Trophy. Travis Brua and Mike Carlson scored for the Blades. Unfortunately, the Southern Minnesota Hockey League had lost two teams and the league was disbanded.

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50 years

  • Former Albert Lea quarterback Dan Fahrman, who was playing collegiately at Concordia College in Moorhead, was named to the 1973 All-Lutheran College football team.
  • Rick Light’s victory in the 50-freestyle was the only win for coach Jim Lang’s Albert Lea Tigers swimming team as they were defeated by Mason City 106-50.
  • Albert Lea’s first-ever entry in the MAHA endorsed Juvenile Hockey League for 17–19-year-olds picked up an 8-5 win over Faribault. Jerry Goodmanson scored three goals with Kenny Van Riper, Tom Nelson, Dan Meyer and Alan Richards adding one.
  • The Albert Lea girls’ basketball team was set to begin its eight-game regular season under coach Lois Fagerquist. The Tigerettes featured seven returning letter winners including seniors Margaret Bennett, Anita Hanson and Mary Mittelstadt.
  • Hank Aaron signed a five-year, $1 million contract to be a goodwill ambassador for the Magnavox electronics firm.
  • In opening round play in the Albert Lea YMCA’s second annual men’s singles racquetball tournament, Henry Savelkoul defeated Paul Overgaard, and Al Arends defeated Bob Bonnerup.
  • Herter’s of Waseca was advertising a 1974 Hudson Bay Snow Tiger snowmobile on sale for $645.
  • Minnesota Twins slugger Harmon Killebrew took a cut in pay and was ordered to cut his weight for the 1974 baseball season. He signed a one-year contract for $90,000, a reduction of $15,000 from the previous season.

Alumni update

Zach Glazier, a 2019 graduate of Albert Lea High School, is a senior on the University of Iowa wrestling team where he competes at 197 pounds. He currently stands at 18-0 on the season for the Hawkeyes including 5-0 in the Big Ten.