Patriot News MN

The Becker girls gymnastics team fielded a full squad Thursday night in Maple Lake and that resulted in a big win for the Bulldogs as they improved to 2-1.

Becker, 132.575

Maple Lake, 123.75

Last Saturday, in Becker’s home court loss, Head Coach Jen Harmoning’s team was shorthanded as several athletes bypassed the event to attend classmate Anthony Nelson’s funeral.

Harmoning saluted the girls who honored their friend which also gave her the chance to see some of her even younger gymnasts take center stage.

The gymnastics coaching staff is still working on increasing endurance and gaining strength in their young athletes.

“There are several skills in the works that the gymnasts would love to be able to compete, but right now strength and endurance is holding us back a bit,” said Harmoning. “This is normal for early on in the season, especially with the training interruptions we've had the past three weeks. We will just keep working and little by little we will get to where we need to be.”

Senior Sabrina Tiemens missed the meet due to illness.

Vault results:

1. Jordan Sifferle, ML, 9.1

2. Megan Murphy, 8.725

3. Haley Olsen, 8.65

4. Haley Hubbard, 8.625

5. Hannah Schmidt, 8.5

9. Montanna Edling, 8.0.

Bars results:

1. Olsen, 8.025

2. Schmidt, 7.85

3. Hubbard, 7.65

4. Murphy, 7.65

6. Edling, 7.4

Beam results:

1. Murphy, 8.75

2. Schmidt, 8.425

3. Edling, 8.4

5. Lexi Reichle, 8.1

7. Hubbard, 7.7

Floor results:

1. Murphy, 8.675

2. Hubbard, 8.45

3. H. Schlueter, ML, 8.35

4. Edling, 8.075

5. Schmidt, 8.025

7. Reichle, 7.875

All-Around:

1. Murphy, 33.8

2. Schmidt, 32.8

3. J. Sifferle, ML, 32.65

4. Hubbard, 32.425

5. Edling, 31.875

Becker Invitational

Becker hosted their first home meet of the season last Saturday with Melrose taking home the top prize with 143.5 points.

Just seven of Becker’s team members competed because the rest of the squad opted to attend Anthony Nelson’s funeral.

Two of the seven competitors competed for the first time and they competed on beam only as JV players. The other five girls comprised Becker’s varsity squad, although they only had four routines on two events (bars and beam) and had to then count all four scores.

Team results were scored only so there were no individual places.

Chloe Madsen, one of the five contenders on varsity, had a very good day, competing on all events for the first time in her career. “She got off to a shaky start on vault, baulking on her first attempt,” said Harmoning.

Following that miscue, Madsen hit all three remaining events solidly, even sticking her beam routine for the first time.

Tiemens competed though she continued to battle an illness.

“She did a great job on vault and floor, but beam was not her usual solid routine,” said the head coach. “When gymnasts have a cold or flu, beam is often the most difficult event. Something about that fluid build-up in the ears makes it that much harder to stay on the beam.”

Aubree Lahr is back competing with the team this year after having taken last year off.

“She has been doing awesome getting back into the sport,” Harmoning said. “We're so happy she's back with us again because she is very talented and is also a really good teammate.”

Lauren Gizzi is an eighth grader doing high school gymnastics for the first time. Fortunately, she does have some experience competing in the club scene prior to this year. Saturday was the first time she has competed all events in high school.

“She had a really great day, especially on vault and floor where she landing everything really cleanly,” said Harmoning.

Kassidi Andres competed varsity bars and floor for the Bulldogs for the first time in her career. She also competed with a difficult vault for the first time this season.

“She had to count a fall on both of them, but we are really proud of her for going for it today,” said her head coach. “She will just get better and better throughout the season. I think Kassidi surprised herself being one of our top scorers on bars today.”

Final scores:

1. Melrose, 143.5

2. Willmar, 135.85

3. Farmington, 132.1

4. STMA, 123.2

5. Becker, 119.35

6. HLWW, 114.4

7. Sauk Rapids, 114.25

8. Columbia Heights, 95.95

Vault results:

Tiemens, 8.6

Lahr, 8.4