Yir 2016 by Albert Lea Tribune

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 | B SECTION

Year2016 in review

8-YEAR-OLD’S SUDDEN DEATH, RESPONSE TOPS YEAR IN NEWS By Albert Lea Tribune

Determining the top local story of the year is never an easy task. When tragedy strikes one of our own staff members, it is even more difficult. The editor, publisher and reporters met in early December to look back through the big stories of the year and to narrow down that list to the top 10 with a half dozen honorable mentions. There have been stories that drew national attention such as the September floods, the derailment of a train in Ellendale and the controversy surrounding singer Ted Nugent coming to the Freeborn County Fair. The death of 8-year-old Sophie Stultz, daughter of Tribune Managing Editor Sarah Stultz and her husband, Jason, hit many people close to home. The community came together to show support for the family in the days and months that followed. In the end, here is how the news of 2016 lined up:

Community comes together after 8-year-old bicyclist dies in crash

Communities tend to come together in times of tragedy. Albert Lea is no exception. Those were the first two sentences of a July 3 article titled “Community comes together after 8-year-old bicyclist dies in crash,” and they ring true even more so almost six months later. Over the 2016 Fourth of July weekend, Sophie Stultz was riding her bicycle with friends when she was fatally struck by a vehicle at the intersection of Frank Hall Drive and East Eighth Street. Sophie Stultz was a fixture around the Tribune office, visiting other Tribune employees when she’d come in to the office with her mother. The charismatic and inquisitive 8-year-old was always full of questions, eager to learn and all smiles for anyone she talked to. When news broke of her accident, it wasn’t just the Tribune that felt the loss of Sophie Stultz — it was the entire community. Cards, flowers, phone calls and other items flooded the Tribune to be passed on to the Stultz family, and immediately community members asked what they could do to help the family out in any way they could. A GoFundMe page was set up to help with funeral arrangements and other expenses, and it raised over $11,000 in less than 24 hours. On July 8, the day of Sophie Stultz’s funeral, law enforcement escorted a long processional from Albert Lea High School to

Residents young and old blew up pink and white balloons to place along the route of the funeral processional for Sophie Stultz on July 8. A group of people sat in the shape of a heart at the intersection of Bridge Avenue and Richway Drive. PHOTO COURTESY DAN BORLAND Lakewood Cemetery. The funeral route was lined with people as well as pink balloons, some of which were released as the cars carrying the Stultz family passed by. While the community immediately surrounded the Stultz family at the time of Sophie Stultz’s death, the tragic loss of life had a lasting impact in the community, as well. Talks have been brought up about either naming part of a possible splash pad or dedicating a part of it to the 8-year-old. A considerable amount of donations have been made to the splash pad efforts in Sophie Stultz’s name, some of which were collected during a concert at August’s Freeborn County Fair. The most considerable impact, though, would likely be the push for stop signs at the intersection where she lost her life. After a few months of community members speaking at Albert Lea City council meetings and petitioning to implore councilors to approve the stop signs, the council on Oct. 10 unanimously approved installing stop signs at each corner of the Eighth Street and Frank Hall Drive intersection

for at least six months. Councilors also approved installing stop signs at the intersection of Ninth Street and Frank Hall Drive. There is the possibility of the stop signs being made permanent following the six-month trial period. “Though I would have liked to have seen permanent stop signs approved for the intersection, I am pleased the council did not dismiss the idea altogether and instead is going to use the next six months as a trial period,” Sarah Stultz said at the time of the decision. “I hope this is only the beginning of the conversation about safety in the Frank Hall Drive neighborhood. I and others plan to continue our efforts toward this cause and welcome the continued support of the community.”

Flooding brings historic water levels, damage to homes Albert Leans woke up Sept. 22 to discover between 4 1/2 and 7 inches of rain had fallen in the previous 24 hours, leading to flooding in homes and streets. Several trees were reported downed and vehicles were stuck in high water.

Leah Adams and Lyle Lichliter walk through flood water in September on the west side of Abbott Street. SAM WILMES/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Sophie Stultz was preparing to enter third grade at Lakeview Elementary School. PROVIDED While flooding is commonplace on East Main Street near Hanson Tire and on West Main Street near Morin Park, several other streets that don’t normally flood had high water levels as well, including Minnesota Highway 13 at the road’s intersection with U.S. Highway 69 and West Front Street near Korner Mart. Officials estimated public infrastructure damage of about $1.7 million, and county officials and Gov. Mark Dayton declared the area in a state of emergency. Fountain Lake rose to record levels Sept. 23 — at least a half a foot higher than previous records — before cresting later that day. City Engineer Steven Jahnke said Fountain Lake elevation levels were as much as six feet higher than the normal elevation, and some areas passed 100-year

flood levels by at least one foot. The last time water levels were even close to that high was in 2004. According to a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources river gauging station in Gordonsville, the Shell Rock River was flowing at over 10 times its normal volume at one point. The Federal Emergency Management Agency approved assistance for both public infrastructure costs and individual assistance for homeowners, and residents affected by floods were continuing to work with FEMA officials as the year concluded. Other counties receiving individual assistance were Blue Earth, Hennepin, Le Sueur, Rice, Steele and Waseca counties.

Continued

The mermaid at New Denmark had water up to her face as Fountain Lake levels rose in September after heavy rain. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

PAGE B2 | YEAR IN REVIEW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016

Bomgaars opened in June in western Albert Lea after more than 12 years since Walmart closed its doors. SAM WILMES/ ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Bomgaars moves into former Walmart

After more than 12 years of sitting vacant, the former Walmart building in western Albert Lea was brought back to life in June when farm and ranch supply company Bomgaars opened in the building. The company, which is headquartered in Sioux City, Iowa, renovated the 82,000-square-foot building into 77,000 square feet of retail space, along with break rooms, offices and a loading dock. City officials were overjoyed in the company’s decision to come to Albert Lea and said they looked forward to seeing it become an active part of the community. The store was originally built in 1985, when Arkansas-based discount retailer Walmart grew its chain by going into regional centers in the Midwest like Albert Lea. The retail space was abandoned in October 2003, when a Walmart Supercenter opened on Blake Avenue. Robert and Angie Hoffman, owners of Complete Realty, started managing the property Feb. 1, 2013, after Walmart’s lease on the building ended and were hired to start advertising the building and try to find someone for the space. The couple looked up about 50 or 60 potential businesses and made dozens

of calls to people to see if there was any interest and advertised nationally online on a commercial real estate listing service. Robert Hoffman said in February that not a week went by that he did not get a phone call from someone wanting to know more about the building. Bomgaars is leasing the building from owner WLM Retail Partnership.

Man murdered at Myre-Big Island State Park

A place where people go to enjoy the outdoors became the site of a homicide investigation in August after the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man who had been shot and killed at Myre-Big Island State Park. Authorities arrested David Michael Easter in connection with the shooting death of Spencer Daniel Brown of rural Freeborn County. Authorities stated Brown was found dead in a locked 2001 Audi station wagon the evening of Aug. 23 in a parking lot near the Big Island pavilion after dispatchers received a 911 call from Easter. Brown suffered from two gunshot wounds to the head. The car’s doors were locked, and the vehicle was in reverse at the time it was found. Brown’s foot was on the brake of the vehicle. Easter reportedly told

Freeborn County Sheriff Kurt Freitag said the suspect arrested in the death of another man reportedly called 911 to report the shooting at Myre-Big Island State Park. The suspect met authorities at the ranger station at the park, approximately 1.7 miles from where the shooting occurred on Big Island. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE dispatchers he had shot Brown in self-defense and claimed Brown approached him with what appeared to be a bat. Easter’s wife and infant daughter were also reportedly at the pavilion at the time of the shooting but were not injured. Authorities stated evidence did not show the shooting was in self-defense. Easter is charged with second-degree murder in Brown’s death. He posted a $100,000 bail in September.

More than 100 gravesites damaged at Graceland Cemetery

The Albert Lea community was shocked in November to hear that more than 100 gravesites at Graceland Cemetery had been damaged. Some of the sites damaged dated back to 1892, 1895, 1898 and 1920.

Pots in the military section of the cemetery were also reportedly tipped over, and a light that illuminates the flag at the veterans memorial was broken out. Most of the damage occurred in the northeast side of the cemetery. Cemetery board President Brad Wedge said the perpetrators used baseball bats and pushed over some of the stones by hand. The vandalism spurred action by many in and outside of the community. Doc Bohlman, a childhood friend of Freeborn County Sheriff Kurt Freitag, started a GoFundMe page to raise money for repairs, and multiple companies and volunteers came forward to restore the cemetery. Albert Lea Electric repaired the broken light at its own cost, and employees of Star Granite and Albert Lea Monument helped set damaged monuments back up. The vandals have still not been found.

Train derails in Ellendale; residents evacuated

Authorities evacuated Ellendale residents Nov. 13 after a Union Pacific train derailed south of the community. The 146-car train was reportedly hauling mixed freight from South St. Paul to North Platte, Nebraska, when 22 total rail cars derailed south of Ellendale near the crossing of 158th Street. Information about why the train may have derailed has not been released. One rail car in the train was reportedly punctured during the derailment, leaking liquid petroleum gas and leading to the evacuation of the nearly 700-resident community and other residents within one mile of the train. The incident also led to the closure of Minnesota Highway 30 for a period and

the cancellation of classes in the NRHEG school district. Firefighters and first responders from 20 agencies assisted with the evacuations. First responders and evacuated residents met at United Methodist Church, where volunteers served breakfast. Families could be seen huddled together in their pajamas in parts of the church, some of them having been woken up by the evacuation procedure. Adults took turns taking care of friends’ and neighbors’ children while some parents ran errands and checked up on others. Some residents at the church made phone calls to let others know they were safe, as many Ellendale residents had already left the town for their daily work commute before the evacuation took place.

Continued

Happy Holidays

More than 100 gravesites have sustained damage at Graceland Cemetery in November. SAM WILMES/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

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As we celebrate this new year, let’s remember to treat one another with kindness, love and understanding. We hope you’ll join us in the true spirit of the season with prayers of peace and goodwill toward all mankind.

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 | YEAR IN REVIEW | PAGE B3

Multiple train cars derailed right outside of Ellendale in November. RYAN ANDERSON/OWATONNA PEOPLE’S PRESS Most residents were allowed to return to their homes later that afternoon. Union Pacific Railroad officials estimated the cleanup to be completed by mid-December.

Albert Lea High School students crown Becca Schei as Homecoming Queen

It was one of the top feel-good stories of the year when Albert Lea High School students selected Becca Schei in September as Homecoming Queen. Schei, who has Downs syndrome, jumped with excitement and grinned from ear to ear after she heard the news, before hopping onto the lap of fellow student Tristan Johnston, who had been named Homecoming King. Schei was ready to pose for photos for eager parents, family members and others in the audience. Other girls in the

Cali Adams, 2015 Albert Lea High School Homecoming Queen, crowns Becca Schei as the 2016 Albert Lea High School Homecoming Queen in October during coronation at the school. SARAH STULTZ/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE Homecoming royalty were Justine Nelson, Heather Gilbertson, Callie Hanson and Kathryn Flaherty.

Controversy behind singer Ted Nugent coming to the Freeborn County Fair

County Fair Board announced that rock singer Ted Nugent would be the fourth entertainer to perform in August at the Freeborn County Fair. Nugent, who is known for his hits such as “Stranglehold” and “Cat Scratch Fever,” has sold tens of millions of records in his

The controversy started in March after the Freeborn

Ellendale residents were evacuated from their homes to United Methodist Church after a Continued train derailment resulted in a butane and propane leak. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

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PAGE B4 | YEAR IN REVIEW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016

A concert attendee takes a picture during Ted Nugent’s performance at the Freeborn County Fair. COLLEEN HARRISON/ ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

career that has spanned more than 50 years. He has also been an outspoken political activist. As time went on, tensions rose from both those in favor and those opposed to his concert. Opponents of Nugent’s performance questioned the Freeborn County Fair Board’s decision to contract with the entertainer, who they said used divisive and abusive language in his songs. In response, they organized a Rally for Civility to emphasize community spirit and inclusiveness, where musicians would perform live music. They also planned a children’s carnival with arts, crafts, games and prizes. Letters to the editor came in on both sides of the issue, and the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office made extra preparations for the performance. In the end, the concert proved to be one of the biggest draws in the fair’s history.

Local elections divide residents

With a longer-than-usual election season, we already expected it to be an eventful year for politics, but things got more interesting with several local races.

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For the Albert Lea School Board, there were three seats up for election, with two out of three board members announcing they were not seeking re-election. Ten people ultimately filed for office, and Neal Skaar, Angie Hanson and Ken Petersen were elected. Skaar is a former Albert Lea head wrestling coach, Hanson is a special education teacher and Petersen is a former board chairman. The election came amid some controversy in the district. There were three Albert Lea City Council seats open for election and three on the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners. All incumbents were elected on the county board — Glen Mathiason, Jim Nelson and Mike Lee. The three incumbent councilors announced they would not seek re-election, and after the vote came through, Rich Murray, Jason Howland and Robert Rasmussen were elected. Races on the state level also spurred many letters to the editor, including the District 27A race with Republican Peggy Bennett and DFLer Gary Schindler, and the District 27 Senate race with Republican Gene Dornink and incumbent Dan Sparks. Incumbents swept these

Ted Nugent talks to the crowd in between songs during his performance in August in the Grandstand at the Freeborn County Fair. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE seats as well and will be he was charged with crimigearing up for the start of nal vehicular homicide and another legislative session gross misdemeanor driving early in January. after cancellation. First District CongressCourt documents allege man Tim Walz, a DFLer, Brooks had been drinking narrowly defeated chal- alcohol at a bonfire with lenger Jim Hagedorn, a about eight other people Republican. and had reportedly been Also included on the driving in doughnuts in ballot was a questhe nearby pasture tion that expanded where Alex Dylan the District 241 Tapp of Austin was school board to struck and killed. seven members and When Freeborn a question for the County Sheriff’s renewal of the local Office deputies aroption sales tax for rived that night, the Shell Rock River Nathan they reportedly Watershed District. Brooks found Tapp lying approximately 40 feet from the bonfire area. He had reportedly been struck Man killed by a 2000 Chevy Suburban and was pronounced dead at in fatal crash east the scene with severe head, of Hollandale A 30-year-old Austin man facial and chest injuries. Efforts to reach Brooks died April 16 after he was struck by a Suburban east that night on his cellphone were unsuccessful, of Hollandale. Freeborn County Sher- and he turned himself in iff’s Office deputies arrest- on the charges the next ed Nathan Paul Brooks, 27, afternoon. In an interview with of Austin for the crash, and

District 27A Rep. Peggy Bennett embraces challenger Gary Schindler after finding out she had been re-elected Nov. 8 during a watch party at America’s Best Value Inn. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 | YEAR IN REVIEW | PAGE B5

A.L.’S HOREJSI CONQUERS TOP SPORTS STORY FOR 2ND YEAR By Albert Lea Tribune This year in sports has been crazy. From the Chicago Cubs winning its first World Series in over a decade to LeBron James bringing a title to his home state of Ohio, the sports world saw a lot of firsts and, unfortunately, athletes like Muhammad Ali and long-time sideline reporter Craig Sager passed away. Not to be outdone, the athletes in Albert Lea and the surrounding areas also had a pretty crazy and wild ride this year. You may have heard of Lindsey Horejsi? All she did was set national high school swimming records and compete at the Olympic Trials. Garrett Aldrich won his third consecutive state title in wrestling, and hopes to compete for a fourth this February. Aldrich and the Tigers are already off to a hot start this season. Jake Thompson was named Big Nine Conference Player of the Year in baseball after leading the Tigers to within one win of a state tournament appearance in June. The Albert Lea football team snapped a 32-game losing streak this fall when it gutted Tri-City United for a 21-6 win. Albert Lea got a college baseball team that will start play in the summer of 2017, and Hayek Field hosted a U.S. Military AllStar Game in July, the first time a game of its kind had been hosted by Albert Lea. Finally, Albert Lea swimming and diving coach Jon Schmitz called it a career after the 2015 season. All of that happened just in Albert Lea. Lake Mills had a very busy year in sports.

Lindsey Horejsi competes in the women’s 200-meter breaststroke preliminaries during the U.S. Olympic Trials at CenturyLink Center in Omaha, Nebraska. Horejsi snagged the top sports story of the year for the second straight year. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE Wrestler Slade Sifuentes went undefeated and won a state title, the Bulldogs volleyball team went undefeated and Granger Kingland broke Lake Mills’ scoring record in boys’ basketball. United South Central and NRHEG wrestling teams sent wrestlers Derek Herman and Wyatt Fitterer to the state tournament, and each represented the teams well. All those, along with some other stories, are featured in this year’s Year in Review for 2016.

Horejsi competes at the Olympic Trials

After enjoying one of the most successful high school swimming career sthe state of Minnesota has ever seen, Albert Lea swimmer Lindsey Horejsi took her talents to the big stage — the Olympic swimming trials in Omaha, Nebraska, this past June. Horejsi set the Minnesota state record at the state meet in 2015 with a time of 58.66 seconds in the 100 breaststroke. The next closest time was 1:03.66.

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Horejsi earned All-American honors with that time. Horejsi qualified in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke for the Olympic Trials with a chance to go to Rio. The first day, Horejsi swam the 100-meter breaststroke. She qualified for the next round of the trials, coming in 24th place, and she set a new personal record in the trial. Horejsi finished in 19th place with a time of 1:08.82, but moved up to 18th place — out of

125 — after a swimmer withdrew from qualifying. That put her in the 85th percentile of all swimmers in the event, but only the top 16 moved on the second round of qualifying, leaving Horejsi on the outside looking in but still happy with her performance. “I was 24th going into the event, so I was happy to get 19th (18th),” she said. “I felt really good. I felt like I was going too slow at first … but I actually had the fifth-fastest split overall.”

She qualified with a time of 1:09.37. On the second day, Horejsi competed in the 200 breaststroke. She was still looking for that opportunity to make it to the Rio Olympics. She took 29th out of 124 listed swimmers, coming in with a time of 2:31.41. She felt more nerves the second time around. “It was definitely more nerve-racking than my

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PAGE B6 | YEAR IN REVIEW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 100,” Horejsi said. “It’s my first time in the 200 trials. … It’s a long race so you have a lot of time to get in your head. You just try to swim the best you can, and then whatever happens happens.” Despite the nerves, Horejsi said she wouldn’t trade her second Olympic Trials experience for anything. ““I liked swimming in the pool, of course; it’s a wonderful opportunity,” she said. “I’m relieved that it’s all done, but it’s kind of sad at the same time.” Once her Olympic Trials were over, Horejsi continued to gear up for her first season of collegiate swimming at the University of Minnesota, and she has already experienced success at that level, too. She was named Big Ten Freshman of the Week for the week on Nov. 16. She competed for the conference at the USA College Challenge. In the 100-ard breaststroke, Horejsi clocked in with a time of 59.50 and finished third in the race while competing with members of the U.S. National Team and other top swimmers in the Big Ten.

Aldrich has already gotten off to a blazing start on his quest for a fourth title. He is 10-1 to start the season with his only loss coming to Marion’s (Iowa) Josh Jones in the Merry Christmas Tournament in Rochester on Dec. 16.

Albert Lea football ends losing streak

It was long overdue. The Albert Lea football team ended its infamous 32-game losing streak this fall with a convincing victory over TriCity United, 21-6. The last time Albert Lea won a game was Oct. 23 , 2012 against Waseca. That was a section playoff game the Tigers won by a score of 14-9. But the streak started four days later with a 43-14 loss to Faribault. The streak finally ended on Sept. 30 when the Tigers took down the Titans. “It was a complete team victory,” Tigers coach Corey Black said after the game. “It was a long time coming, and a lot of credit needs to go to the 50 young men who persevered through all the doubt the past three years.” Things didn’t start so well for the Tigers, though. On their second play of the game, the Tigers fumbled

Albert Lea’s Garrett Aldrich claimed his third straight state title in wrestling in February. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Aldrich makes it 3 state titles in a row

If twice is nice, then three times is better. Albert Lea wrestler Garrett Aldrich secured his third straight state championship at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul this past March wrestling in the 132pound weight class. Coming into the state tournament with a record of 43-4, Aldrich worked his way through a grueling bracket. He won all four matches against opponents with a combined record of 130-41, including winning the championship match against Hibbing’s Morgan Fuenffinger, who came into the state tournament with a record of 41-4. The final victory gave Aldrich a complete record of 47-4. During his run of three state titles, Aldrich has compiled a record of 131-15 and is 12-0 at the state tournament. In 2016, Aldrich beat three opponents by a combined score of 28-8 and he pinned Simley’s Anthony Dawson. His dominance is for certain. Simply put — he just wants to win. “It’s what I have been working for — to keep winning. … I just keep wrestling my style, and it works,” Aldrich said. According to wrestling coach Larry Goodnature, Aldrich became the second Albert Lea wrestler to become a three-time state champion. The first was Tom Jean back in the 1970s. “(Garrett’s) one of the elite now in Albert Lea wrestling,” Goodnature said. “That’s a tough thing to do, because there’s so many good wrestlers. But (Garrett), he’s very intense, focused. He’s just a hard-nosed kid — very balanced with his technique.”

the ball and gave the Titans prime field position. But the defense came through and held them to give the ball back to the offense. Running back Dylan Lestrud took over and ran the Tigers down the field before Jessie Hernandez busted through the line to give the Tigers a 7-0 lead. The Titans would score on the next possession, but would miss the extra point. It was all Tigers after that. Quarterback Sam Chalmers found receiver Ben Witham on a slant pattern and he took it to the house. Later, Lestrud’s hard work throughout the game would pay him off with a touchdown. It was a tremendous night for the Tigers, and on Homecoming nonetheless. Albert Lea played in front of an overflowing crowd at Jim Gustafson Field. “We made memories, and nobody can take that away from us,” Black said. That win would be Albert Lea’s biggest of the season, but it wouldn’t be the only one for the Tigers. They also defeated St. Peter, 27-14, in the last game of the regular season. Albert Lea finished the season 2-7, losing 14-13 to Byron in the first round of the section playoffs.

Lake Mills wrestling makes it to state, Sifuentes crowned a champion

The 2015-2016 season was a big year for the Lake Mills wrestling team and junior wrestler Slade Sifuentes. The Bulldogs hadn’t been to the Iowa state tournament in 16 years, but ended that streak in 2016 when Lake Mills defeated

The Albert Lea football team rushes the field after beating Tri-City United for its first victory in 32 games. JARROD PETERSON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Jake Thompson named Big 9 Conference Player of the Year

Few players in the Big Nine Conference had a better baseball season than Albert Lea’s Jake Thompson. Actually, no one did. Thompson starred for the Tigers in his senior year in 2016, and brought his club to within one win of making the state tournaUnited South Central’s Derek Herman wrestles Dover-Eyota’s ment. Thompson’s season Michael Otom at 170 during the state wrestling tournament translated into being finals. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE named Big Nine Conference Player of the Year. The Tigers got off to a 3-6 start, but then the team got its full complement of players back and Thompson took his game to a new level. Albert Lea won nine of its next 11 games — including a walk-off win against No.1 Mankato West, thanks to a Thompson triple. He finished the season with a batting average of .443 and 13 doubles. He

Continued

NRHEG’s Wyatt Fitterer wrestles Dover-Eyota’s Tanner Welsh at 285 during the Class A finals at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. COLLEEN HARRISON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE Sumner-Fredricksburg, 45-30, to advance to the state tournament. “Our kids really showed up in the finals and were determined to get the job done,” Lake Mills coach Alex Brandenburg said. Lake Mills wrestled three times at the state meet. It lost its first match, 52-24, to Don Bosco, but rebounded against Sigourney to win 53-28. Lake Mills was eliminated by Westwood, 50-28, to finish in seventh place. While the team experienced a lot of success in 2016, perhaps no wrestler in the state of Iowa wanted to face Slade Sifuentes across from him during the season. Sifuentes conquered all his opponents during the season, including in the state tournament in the 195pound weight class. Sifuentes went 56-0, but was never ranked No. 1 during the season until he won the state title. Sifuentes faced four opponents, beating one by pinfall, another by DQ and winning two decisions, including an 8-3 decision over South Winneshiek’s Landers Kuboushek to win the title. Of his four wins at the state meet, Sifuentes got revenge on an opponent — Ogden’s Nick Ross — who ended his season the year before in the semifinals. Sifuentes beat him by a 9-5 decision. Sifuentes hasn’t rested on his laurels, though. He and the Bulldogs have been hard at work this season. Lake Mills is 13-2 on the season and Sifuentes is 10-0, running his win streak over the past two years to 66-0.

NRHEG, USC sent wrestlers to state

Lake Mills’ Slade Sifuentes celebrates winning the Class 1A championship at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines. He finished the season undefeated. LORY GROE/FOR THE ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

scored 20 runs, drove in 15 runs and was 14-16 on stolen bases. He was also named to the All-Conference and Academic AllState teams. “It was extremely humbling,” Thompson said of being named Big Nine Conference Player of the Year. Thompson was invited to play in the Minnesota State High School Baseball Coaches Association AllStar Game, where he went 4-5 with three doubles and a game-winning hit. “It was a great experience for me,” Thompson said. “I was able to meet up with some old friends and make some new ones.” Thompson was the first Albert Lea player to take home the conference’s highest honor since Aaron Klatt did it in 2011, who was the first player in school history to earn the honor. He is currently attending South Dakota State University on a baseball scholarship.

Wrestling is a team sport as much as it is an individual sport. Wrestlers wrestle for their teams to accumulate

points, but all have their individual records tracked. While the United South Central and NRHEG wrestling teams didn’t make it to state, two wrestlers from each school did. United South Central’s Derek Herman and NRHEG’s Wyatt Fitterer competed in the final round of the 2016 Minnesota state wrestling tournament, and both had strong showings. While neither won a state title, Herman came in second place in the 170pound class and Fitterer also finished second in the heavyweight class. Fitterer entered the tournament with a record of 35-5 and he dominated his first three opponents, winning two by fall and the other by a 10-3 decision. The state title came down to him and DoverEyota’s Tanner Welsh. Welsh won by a 2-0 decision to claim the title. “(Wyatt) had a fantastic tournament,” NRHEG coach Shawn Larson said after the match. “He has been wrestling well for a long time, and that did not change at the state tournament.” Herman also faced defeat after being so close to a title. Herman faced little resistance on his way to the championship round. Once there, he matched up with Dover-Eyota’s Michael Otomo, who had a record of 44-1 coming into the state tournament. Herman put up a fight, but it wasn’t enough against Otomo, who won a 16-8 decision. Herman was 42-2 coming into the state tournament and waltzed his way past three opponents before facing Otomo. He pinned Kenyon-Wanamingo’s Ted Androli just 28 seconds into their semifinal to advance to the championship match.

Albert Lea’s Jake Thompson walks to the batting cage before the U.S. Military All-Star Game in July. JARROD PETERSON/ ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Happy New Year

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FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016 | YEAR IN REVIEW | PAGE B7

Albert Lea, Hayek Field host U.S. Military All-Star Game

On a perfect night in the middle of July, the city of Albert Lea got a taste of its summer baseball team that will make its home in the city and will play at Hayek Field starting May 2017. But on this night, it was about the veterans who have served our country. Albert Lea welcomed a team of former military men who travel around the country playing baseball games and putting on a show. While a game was played, the event was more of a spectacle. Young fans got autographs from the military team and fans were treated to a fun night at the ballpark.

The U.S. Military All Stars and the Albert Lea Lakers shake hands after their game at Hayek Field in July. JARROD PETERSON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Jon Schmitz, pictured center front row, resigned as the girls’ swimming and diving head coach at the end of the 2015 season. MICAH BADER/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE and was a graduate of the school. His boys’ teams experienced a lot of success during the 1990s, when they won six Big Nine Conference titles. The Tigers had a winning streak of 62 dual meets during that decade. “That was a fun thing,”

Lake Mills volleyball finishes 41-1, undefeated in regular season

It was a tremendous fall for the Lake Mills volleyball team. The Bulldogs finished the season with a record of 41-1, including going 39-0 in the regular season. The only hiccup came in the last match of the season with a trip to the state tournament on the line. Lake Mills suffered a 3-2 defeat to Columbus Catholic of Waterloo. While the Bulldogs came up short, their run was nothing short of impressive. Over the course of the season, the Bulldogs lost a total of seven sets and just four in the regular season, giving them a set record of 94-7. As a team, the Bulldogs registered 1,064 kills, 1,051 digs, 968 assists, 248 blocks and 230 aces. Senior hitter Lexi Groe led the Bulldogs with 290 kills and fellow senior Hailey Borgmeyer finished with 232. Mallory Wihelm and Teah Kelser also finished with over 100 kills apiece with Wilhelm notching 182 and Kelser with 161. Dana Baumann led the team with 40 aces. Robyn Bowman was second on the team with 38. Laura Knudtson, Borgmeyer and Wilhelm each had 36. Bowman amassed a total of 830 assists, a total that was greater than over half the teams in the state of Iowa.

Schmitz said. “The kids took a lot of pride in that.” Schmitz helped lead the girls’ team to a conference title and a third-place finish at the state tournament in 2015. Schmitz was inducted into the Albert Lea Hall of Fame in 2014.

Happy New Year!

The Lake Mills volleyball team did a lot of celebrating this past season after finishing with a record of 41-1. JARROD PETERSON/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE in 2015 after he was the most accurate three-point shooter in Iowa (82-153) and averaged 22.6 points. Northwood-Kensett enjoyed a 19-5 record in 201516, and Davidson was a big part of the success. The senior averaged 21.1 points per game in her final year. She topped the 1,000 point mark for her career in a Jan. 30, 2015, win over NashuaPlainfield, a game in which she scored 19 points.

She achieved the milestone just 62 games into her career. Davidson also set Northwood-Kensett’s all-time scoring record in her senior season, breaking Kate Hartman’s record of 1,525 points. She was named to the AllArea girls’ basketball team three times in her career. Davidson was also named to both the Iowa Newspaper Association Class 1A Second Team All-State and Academic All-State Team.

Schmitz retires from coaching

The year 2016 saw a coach’s career come to an end. Albert Lea boys’ and girls’ swimming and diving coach, Jon Schmitz, called it a career after the 201516 season, one that saw the Tigers experience a lot of success. “My priorities have changed,” Schmitz said. “It was time. (Coaching) is a tremendous time commitment.” Schmitz had been at Albert Lea High School since 1987,

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Kingland, Davidson set records

Granger Kingland of Lake Mills and Hattie Davidson of Northwood-Kensett had impressive senior seasons for their respective basketball teams. Kingland led the state of Iowa in points per game in 2015, averaging an astounding 27.3 per game. He made 217 field goals on the season and shot 56.8 percent from the field and was one of the most accurate three-point shooters in Iowa (43.8 percent). Kingland went 137-158 from the free throw line in leading the Bulldogs to a 16-7 record for the season. Kingland broke the school’s single-game scoring record when he put up 43 points against West Hancock on Jan. 12. Kingland was named to the Tribune’s All-Area first team and was named boys’ basketball Player of the Year

Hattie Davidson broke Northwood-Kensett’s all-time scoring mark in 2016. MICAH BADER/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

Robert Hoffman Broker/Owner/Property Mgr The Local Brokerage that helped lease the Former Walmart Site to Bomgaars

Lake Mills’ Granger Kingland broke the school’s scoring record for points in a game with 43 against West Hancock on Jan. 12. LORY GROE/FOR THE ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

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Year in Review Building Dreams Together!

Skilled Care Nursing Home opening late summer of 2017

View our work zone cam online!

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The Town Center opening late summer of 2017

The Meadows Assisted Living and Secured Memory Care Apartments opened July 2016

Waters Edge Independent Living Apartments opened November of 2016

901 Luther Place Albert Lea, MN

You’ll find a home in our community.

PAGE B8 | YEAR IN REVIEW | FRIDAY, DECEMBER 30, 2016

TOP 25 WEB STORIES Here are the top 25 most-clicked-on stories for albertleatribune.com for 2016 through Dec. 27. Pageviews are from Google Analytics using its sample method. The listing shows headline, page views, wrtier and, when applicable, source of photograph.

Beaver Lake was temporarily closed in August while cleanup efforts were underway because of elevated levels of toxic algae. SAM WILMES/ALBERT LEA TRIBUNE

TOP 5 WEB OBITUARIES Here are the five most-clicked-on obituaries for albertleatribune.com for 2016 through Dec. 27. 1. Rachael Rodriguez, 1989-2016, 6,954 views 2. Kristin Lee, 1977-2016: 5,137 views 3. Michael Ell, 1976-2016: 5,109 views 4. Zane Hable, Sept. 2016-Oct. 2016: 4,397 views 5. Jack and Oliver Williamson: 4,382 views

1. Albert Lea flood damage visible from air: 24,769 views (Matt Levorson Productions photos) 2. Former Walmart to become Bomgaars: 17,288 views (Sarah Stultz story and photos) 3. More than 100 gravesites damaged at Graceland Cemetery: 14,894 views (Sam Wilmes story and photos) 4. Nugent performs, derides protestors: 13,811 views (Sam Wilmes story, Colleen Harrison photos) 5. Update: Shooting victim found in locked car: 11,756 views (Sam Wilmes story, Sarah Stultz photos) 6. Body found in Graceland Cemetery: 10,924 views (staff reports, Kelly Wassenberg photo) 7. City urges residents to limit water usage to prevent backups: 10,369 views (Sam Wilmes and Sarah Stultz story and photos) 8. Community comes together after 8 year old dies in crash: 10,317 views (Colleen Harrison story, provided photos) 9. Truck collides with train near Alden: 10,250 views (Sam Wilmes story; Sam Wilmes and Kelly Wassenberg photos) 10. Waseca man charged with criminal sex conduct in Freeborn County: 9,663 views (Sam Wilmes story) 11. Authorities investigating homicide at state park: 9,412 views (Sarah Stultz story and photo) 12. Two local residents killed in Blue Earth County crash: 9,051 views (Sam Wilmes story) 13. 3 of 5 Freeborn County Fair entertainers announced: 8,149 views (Sarah Stultz story, provided photos) 14. Details released in crash that killed 8 year old: 7,729 views (Sam Wilmes story) 15. Albert Lea Homecoming king and queen crowned: 7,143 views (Sarah Stultz photos) 16. Northbound lanes of I-35 closed after fatal crash: 7,135 views (Sam Wilmes story) 17. Meet the newest deputy: 6,989 views (Sam Wilmes story and photo) 18. Freeborn County commissioners declare state of emergency: 6,857 views (Sam Wilmes story, Sarah Stultz photos) 19. ‘We’re just all happy we’re all out and safe’: 6,738 views (Sam Wilmes story and photos) 20. Girl injured in ATV crash: 6,701 views (Sam Wilmes story and photos) 21. Man leads police on high-speed chase: 6,599 views (Sam Wilmes story) 22. Death of A.L. man under investigation: 6,489 views (Sam Wilmes story) 23. A.L. woman speaks out about murder in Minneapolis: 6,439 views (Sarah Stultz story, provided photos) 24. 8-year-old bicyclist dies in crash: 6,417 views (Colleen Harrison story, provided photos) 25. New A.L. police officer always wanted career to help people: 6,408 views (Colleen Harrison story and photo)

Drop Off Your Christmas Trees by

January 7, 2017

Christmas Tree Disposal Sites:

Drop off anytime in the parking lot North of the City Pound. Located in Frank Hall park. Look for signs.

Transfer station hours: Tuesday & Fridays 11:00am-3:00pm

Saturday

9:00am-3:00pm