Faribault Wrestlers Open Dual Season with Perennial Power

The Albert Lea Tigers are ranked fourth in the state in Class AA and showed why Thursday night with a 51-17 win over Faribault.

Albert Lea led 41-0 before Faribault even got on the board in the match. State-ranked Ryan Mullenex of Faribault got a major decision at 160 pounds.

The Falcons also won the last three matches of the night. State-ranked Felipe Ramirez got a major decision at 195.

At 220 pounds, Falcon Dillon McEachran edged Tanner Palmer 7-5 and at 285 Edwin Santiago won via forfeit.

In other Big NIne Conference wrestling Thursday, Owatonna defeated Rochester Mayo 43-27, Northfield got by Rochester Century 35-30.

In other area matches, Kenyon-Wanamingo rolled by Cannon Falls 67-8, Le Sueur-Henderson downed Waterville-Elysian-Morristown/Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 36-30, Medford defeated Madelia-Truman-Martin Luther 40-12, Waseca got by New Ulm 41-34.

The Faribault Falcon boys hockey team fell to Mankato East at the Faribault Ice Arena 6-0.  Elsewhere around the Big Nine; Rochester John Marshall skated past Owatonna 7-1, Rochester Mayo rolled over Winona 9-1, Red Wing edged Albert Lea 5-4 and Austin and La Crescent played to a 4-all tie.

In other boys hockey, Waseca beat Fairmont 5-1, Litchfield/Dassel-Cokato defeated Le Seuer-Henders/St. Peter/Tri-City United/Cleveland 8-2, Rochester Lourdes edged Mound Westonka 2-1

In the South Suburban, Eastview and St. Thomas Academy ended in a 2-all tie, Eden Prairie had no problem with Farmington 5-0, Prior Lake beat Bloomington Jefferson 5-1, Eagan outscored Hastings 7-5, and Duluth East blanked Apple Valley 2-0.

In girls hockey, Big Nine: Faribault 5 Mankato East/Loyola 1, Northfield 4 Rochester Century 1, Red Wing 8 Albert Lea 3, Rochester Mayo 7 Winona 0, Rochester John Marshall 2 Owatonna 0.

Other scores in girls hockey include: Hutchinson 10 Waseca 0, St. Peter/L-H/TCU 5 Fairmont 3.

In the South Suburban Conference: Breck 6 Lakeville South 2, St. Paul Blades 1 Rosemount 0, Hastings 2 Burnsville 0.

In girls basketball Thursday night, Faribault Bethlehem Academy beat Belle Plaine 66-61; Blooming Prairie edged Grand Meadow 36-35.

In the Big Nine, Rochester John Marshall dominated Albert Lea 62-27, Prior Lake beat Red Wing 69-50 and Rochester Mayo defeated Austin 60-46.  In Hiawatha Valley League nonconference games, Stewartville rolled over La Crescent 57-30 and Winona Cotter bested Lake City 58-45.

In boys basketball; Owatonna beat Mankato West in Mankato 75-50 in the only Big Nine game of the evening.

United South Central 61 Blue Earth Area 45, Cleveland 49 Medford 28, Lake City 57 Lewiston-Altura 45, Tri-City United 58 Janesville-Waldorf-Pemberton 42.

In the South Suburban Conference: Chaska 71 Lakeville North 68, Eastview 73 Eden Prairie 72, New Prague 66 Burnsville 50, Henry Sibley 46 Eagan 39, Cretin-Derham-Hall 67 Prior Lake 55.