NEW RICHLAND – The first step for the 2001 Albert Lea boys’ track and field team, according to coach Howie Melom, was to build the numbers.

Thursday, April 19, 2001

NEW RICHLAND – The first step for the 2001 Albert Lea boys’ track and field team, according to coach Howie Melom, was to build the numbers.

That was accomplished early with upwards of 40 athletes, significantly more than last year’s 28.

The next step was to find out what all those new people could do. That came Tuesday as the Tigers finished third in the New Richland-Hartland-Ellendale-Geneva Invitational.

&uot;We have a lot of youth and inexperience at this time,&uot; said Melom. &uot;We have promise, but we haven’t been outside an awful lot. For many of them, it was really my first chance to get a look and see what they can do.&uot;

Maple River took the team title with 186 points, followed by St. Clair with 101, Albert Lea 84, NRHEG 70, Alden-Conger 53, Lyle/Austin Pacelli 32, Glenville-Emmons 25 and Minnesota Academy for the Deaf four.

The Tigers’ top event was the high jump, where basketball teammates Nick Cunningham, Matt Ladwig and Ben Woodside finished first, second and fifth, respectively.

Cunningham, a senior, was also third in the 110-meter high hurdles and fourth in the 400.

Jake Jerdee Roberto Babastro, Josh Moore and Jake Abrego took second in the 4×100 relay while Adam Muilenberg, Joel Langseth, Matt Olsen and Sean Harms were third in the 4×800. Cunningham, Justin Elwood, Muilenberg and Nate McKinney placed fourth in the 4×400.

The Tigers took third and fourth in the discus with Tyler Young and Josh Seeger. Taylor Zimmerman was third in the 1600. Eric Harbacheck was fouth in the 300 hurdles, fifth in the 110 hurdles and fifth in the 1600.

Other Tiger placewinners: Tom Munden, fourth, shot put; Muilenberg, fifth, 300 hurdles; Olsen, fourth, 800; Jerdee, fifth, 200; and Harms, fifth, 3200.

The Tigers are scheduled to compete in the Rosemount Invitational Friday.