Sports Memories: Colonels’ season ends with loss
Released Friday, August 23, 2024 at 8:53 p.m.
Tom Jones’s Sports Memories
10 years
The Albert Lea U12 girls softball team won the league title with a 24-2 record. The team is coached by Ray and Jered Talamantes. Ashley Holl of Albert Lea goes off to play volleyball at Waldorf College in Forest City where she is recruited as a defensive specialist for the Warriors. In the girls city tournament at Wedgewood Cove Golf Club, Vonda Rocklin was the net score winner, Jane Hansen was the gross score winner, Jenny Heinrich was second in gross score and Holly Herr was second in net score. The Minnesota Twins defeated the Detroit Tigers 20-6 at Target Field. Eduardo Escobar led the Twins with 5 hits in 6 at bats and 2 RBIs.
20 years
The Albert Lea Colonels adult amateur baseball team ended their season with a 4-3 loss to Faribault in the Southern Mini League playoffs. Jay Link and Zach Oquist went 2-for-4 for the Colonels, who finished the season with a 5-17 record. The Albert Lea Union Center 12-and-under baseball team finished the season with a 35-5 record. The team was coached by Jack Lovang with Jack Koltan, Dave Klatt, Chuck Cooper and John Hansen as assistants. The Albert Lea Quarterback Club held a football preview night at Hammer Field, serving sausages, chips and drinks while the players tried out different defensive formations and ran plays. Chris Barth won his fifth City Open Golf Championship with a 45-hole total of 180 at Green Lee Golf Course.
50 years
Mark Knutson finished 53rd out of 60 competitors at the 6th Annual Insurance Youth Golf Classic in Cranston, Rhode Island. On the second day of play, he shot 79 playing with Larry Ziegler. John Ullman took first place, John Quinlivan took second and Bob Pitts took third in the 9-11 age division at the Albert Lea Country Club Family Golf Weekend. Larry Baldwin, Gary Tavis, Jeff Elseth and Steve Hogan and their team, “The Choppers,” won the Junior League at Green Lee Golf. Minnesota Vikings President Max Winter announced that the team has appointed Mike Lin as assistant team president. New Albert Lea High School teacher Dale Root is heading to Grand Forks, North Dakota with the Minnesota Circle A Fastpitch Softball team to compete in the Midwest Regional Tournament. He went 40-6 that season. The Minnesota Vikings defeated the Buffalo Bills 32–13 in an exhibition game at Metropolitan Stadium, holding O. J. Simpson to 18 yards on seven carries. Bob Berry contributed to the victory, throwing for 228 yards and two touchdowns. ABC announced that Keith Jackson would replace Chris Schenkel on college football telecasts. College alum Jim Lampley was also hired as a feature reporter. The Albert Lea Tennis Association held tournaments on the Brookside, Moline and Southwest courts. In the Southwest match, Bill Budge and Wayne Dougherty faced Jim Broberg and Dennis Bergstrom.
Alumni Updates
Ashlyn Berben, a recent graduate of Albert Lea High School, is a member of the NIACC girls golf team in Mason City. The team begins play on Sept. 9 at the Iowa Central Fall Invitational in Fort Dodge, Iowa.