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Sports Memories by Tom Jones

15 years

• Albert Lea’s Ben Woodside scored 21 points to lead the North Dakota State men’s basketball team to a 74-43 win over Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne, which gave the Bison eight straight wins.
• The Albert Lea Tigers wrestling team picked up their ninth straight win in a 34-24 victory over Adrian, the state’s No. 11 ranked team in Class 2A. Picking up wins for the Tigers were Cory Hansen, Adam Clark, Cody Hansen, Trevor Rasmussen, Connor Kortan and Logan Kortan.
• Kobe Bryant scored a Madison Square Garden record 61 points as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the New York Knicks 126-117 in NBA action.
• Tyler Prihoda, Blake Adams, Mason Tuohy, Dillon Stolt and Robert Peterson scored goals to lead the Albert Lea Tigers hockey team to a 5-3 win over Winona.

20 years

• The Alden-Conger girls’ basketball team fell 57-39 to Medford at the Alden gym. Angie Wichmann scored 22 points and added for steals to lead the Knights.
• Adam Vinatieri’s 41-yard field goal with four seconds to play gave the New England Patriots a 32-29 win over the Carolina Panthers in Super Bowl XXXVIII. The win gave the Patriots their second Super Bowl title in three years. Tom Brady picked up his second Super Bowl MVP in the win.
• The Rochester Century boys’ hockey team scored a goal with 11 seconds to go to send the Albert Lea Tigers to a 2-1 defeat in a game played in Rochester. Cory Ellertson scored the only goal for the Tigers.
• The Albert Lea boys’ swimming and diving team finished off their regular season with a 92-91 loss to Rochester John Marshall at the high school pool. Mitch Johnson picked up wins in the 50 and 100 freestyle events for the Tigers.

50 years

• The Albert Lea girls’ basketball team lost their second game to start the season as they fell 41-29 to Red Wing. Marilyn Claasen scored 14 points with Mary Speltz adding five to lead the Tigerettes.
• Snowmobile races were being held on Geneva Lake at the VFW Park. Entry fee was $7.50 for the Stock and Super Stock classes.
• The Glenville wrestling team picked up a 46-12 win over Montgomery. Mike Hansen, Don Myron, Larry Carroll, Brad Martinson, Randy Severtson and Rick Hoverson all won by falls.
• Four Tigers were in double figures in scoring as the Albert Lea boys’ basketball team defeated Mankato East 85-69. Bob McCamy led the scoring attack with 20 points with Mike Curry adding 18, Steve Gilbertson 13 and Steve Ladwig 11.
• The Albert Lea b-squad hockey team lost to Owatonna 7-3. Jerry Stanek, Clark Johnson and Jim Thom scored goals for the Bengals.
• The Albert Lea Tigers wrestling team captured the Big Nine title with a 33-12 win over Rochester John Marshall. Dwight Gingerich, Larry Kihlstadius, Bruce Anderson, Gary Serrano, Reid Katzung, Larry Miller and Len Hultgren picked up wins for the Tigers.
• The Endres Rangers men’s hockey team was defeated by Owatonna 7-4. Tom Baas scored two goals with Gary Hillman and Mark Hangge each adding one.
• The Albert Lea Swim Club competed at the St. Paul Winter Carnival AAU Open “A” meet. John Keating took fifth place in the 100 and 200 freestyle event for the 10 and under age group.

A fun fact

When the Albert Lea girls’ basketball team played in the Rochester Lourdes tournament in late December, the program noted Albert Lea had 37 outdoor basketball hoops in the 43 city parks.