NEW RICHLAND &045; With high winds hampering performances, Albert Lea boys’ track and field coach Lon Nelson gave his Tigers some specific instructions before Tuesday’s Panther Invitational at New Richland.

&uot;I asked our boys to concentrate on position and not worry about the times with the wind,&uot; said Nelson. &uot;Except for the wind, it was a fun meet.&uot;

Maple River was first with 221 points, followed by St. Clair with 104, Albert Lea 88, NRHEG 56, Lyle/Austin Pacelli 31, Minnesota Academy for the Deaf 25, Glenville-Emmons 14 and Alden-Conger 10.

The Tigers had three firsts, two of them relays. Andrew Irvine, Sean Harms, Joe Squires and Matt Olsen won the 4×800. Ben Woodside, Jake Abrego, Chris Jackson and Nate Lombardi won the 4×100. The lone individual first was by Taylor Zimmerman in the 1600.

Second-place finishes included Tyler Young, high jump; Michael Veldman, shot put; Squires, 400; and Adam Muilenburg, 3200.

The Tigers will face some tough metro-area competition in the Rosemount Invitational Friday.