The ninth-grade math team competed against Fairmont and Owatonna in its conference this year. Albert Lea ended the 2009-10 season finishing second in the conference behind Fairmont, and third out of eight schools participating in the league in the entire state this year.

Albert Lea’s participants included: Kristina Larsen, Ben Leisen, Mark McGivern, JB Miller, Ana Olson, Megan Pulley and Kristin Sandager.

A ninth-grade math meet consists of two individual events each lasting 10 minutes and concludes with a 20-minute team event. The season extends from October through January. All five meets were held at Southwest Middle School from 3:30 to 5 p.m. and hosted by Albert Lea Area Schools.

Conference individual placings were: second (tie) — JB Miller (ninth in the state), fourth — Mark McGivern (15th in the state), and fifth — Kristin Sandager.

The ninth-grade team has been in competition and coached by Gale Nelson for the past 18 years. Nelson has coached Albert Lea to two state championships and 11 conference championships.