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For the second consecutive season, the Albert Lea wrestling team has qualified for the Minnesota state team tournament after defeating Northfield in the Section 1AAA finals Saturday, 35-22. 

Despite winning seven of the 13 matches, the Tigers were able to pull away from the Raiders with bonus-point victories with five of those wins coming by way of pinfall or tech fall. 

“All year long, we have emphasized the importance of earning bonus points when you can and saving bonus points when you can, and it showed today,” head coach Tyler Vogt said.

The action started off with Northfield picking up a win as Maggie Olson fell in a tight 2-0 decision at 107 pounds. Albert Lea then reeled off four straight wins kicked off with Devon Groess winning by pinfall at 114 pounds. 

The streak continued with Dylan Groess with a 3-0 decision win at 121 pounds, Logan Davis with a pinfall win at 127 pounds, and Ryan Collins with a big 24-8 tech fall at 133 pounds. The Tigers led 20-3 after the barrage of wins. 

The Raiders stopped the run as Keith Harner defeated Trent Ignaszewski in a 23-9 major decision. 

Brody Ignaszewski got Albert Lea back on track with a narrow 4-1 overtime win at 152 pounds. However, Northfield rattled off back-to-back wins at 152 and 160 pounds to make the score 23-13 with just four matches remaining. Albert Lea’s Maverick Attig lost at 152 pounds in a 3-1 decision and Nick Korman lost at 160 pounds in a 5-4 decision. 

Brecken Wacholz backed the Raiders into a corner with a first-period pinfall at 172 pounds, giving the Tigers a 16-point lead. Northfield won the next match over Triton Cox in a 6-4 decision. However, with a decision win worth three points to the team score, the Tigers wrapped up the team win leading by 13 with two matches remaining. 

Albert Lea’s Evan Schroeder lost at 215 pounds in a first-period fall before William Velazquez, capped off the dual with a second-period fall at 285 pounds. 

Vogt said he is proud of all of the school’s wrestlers for their hard work, dedication and support of each other. 

“We are proud to have the captains in our room that continue to set a high standard,” he said. “We are grateful to have the coaches in our room that work with our wrestlers to be the best that they can be on and off the mat. Lastly, we are tremendously thankful for the support from our families, and the community — without that support, we are not where we are today.”

The win qualifies Albert Lea for its 15th appearance at the team state tournament. The team tournament takes place on Feb. 27. It has not been determined who the Tigers will meet in the first round. 

Albert Lea will wrestle in the Section 1AAA individual tournament Saturday to determine which individuals will qualify for the state tournament.