The Becker Bulldog girls gymnastics team won two events this past week, improving to 4-0 on the young season.

 

Head Coach Jen Harmoning’s gymnastics team took home the first place title last Saturday in Annandale, yet she’s still not completely satisfied with her team’s inconsistency.

 

“In general, we had some good and some bad events,” she said.  “It's probably normal to be inconsistent at this point in the season, but it's something we need to work on.”  

 

Harmoning says sometimes mistakes or falls can be a contagious thing in gymnastics.  

 

“For example, if one girl early on in the line-up has troubles, then the girls who follow her can be really affected by that,” Harmoning said.  “We just need to continue to do more repetitions and we will gain that consistency we want.”

 

Becker competed against Annandale, Delano, Litchfield, STMA, Buffalo and Monticello.

 

Becker started off on floor with some very nice floor routines, but the girls and the head coach were unhappy with the scores they received. 

 

“I think the team carried those negative feelings over to the vault and we ended up with our lowest vault total in years,” she said.  

 

Top scorer for the Bulldogs was Miranda O’Brien, who scored an 8.95, good for fourth place. She was followed by Schmidt with an 8.85 for seventh place, Haley Hubbard with an 8.8 for ninth place, Marlee Louden with an 8.5 for 17th place and Kassidy Severson with an 8.15 for 22nd place.

 

Katie Wilke was the bright spot once again on vault for the Bulldogs, hitting her second vault and scoring another personal record of 9.4. She was the top vaulter on the day.

 

O’Brien tallied an 8.8 for third place, Haley Olsen an 8.6 for sixth place, Schmidt an 8.6 for seventh place  and Severson an 8.3 for 11th place. The team finished with a total of 35.4.

 

In recent years past, bars has not been one of the team’s strong points but that may all change this year. Several of the girls have incredibly difficult and complex dismounts and when they get comfortable and begin nailing their routines, they should have smiles all around.

 

“Bars was definitely the best part of (Saturday’s) competition,” said Harmoning.  

 

All five Bulldog gymnasts hit their routines and the team scored a season-high total of 34.1.  

 

Haley Olsen nailed her routine and scored an impressive 9.0 to lead all bar participants. Louden received an 8.55, good for second place. Schmidt had an 8.45 for fourth, Hubbard an 8.1 for sixth and Wilke a 7.95 for eighth.

 

Finishing up on beam can be tough, but the Becker girls were ready and stayed focused to finish on a good note.  

 

O’Brien scored an 8.65 to top all Bulldog beamers and finished third place overall. She was followed by Hubbard with an 8.6, good for fourth place, Louden with an 8.5, good for sixth place, Severson with an 8.35 for eighth place and Schmidt had a 7.2 for 29th.

 

In the all-around, Schmidt recorded a 33.1 in her four events for a fifth place finish.

 

1). Becker - 138.7; 2). Monticello - 133.4; 3). Buffalo - 132.45; 4). STMA - 130.05; 5). Delano - 124.2; 6). Annandale - 121.85; 7). Litchfield - 113.7.

 

Becker 140.625

Maple Lake 126.375

 

Tuesday, Becker travelled to Maple Lake to take on the Irish and came away with their fourth win on the season.

 

Becker’s Schmidt won the all-around with a score of 35.375 and Hubbard placed second scoring 34.3.

 

Becker had all five vaulters land on their feet in at least one of their vaults, which helped them achieve a season-high team total of 37.15. 

 

O'Brien was outstanding, nothing a 9.45 and first place in the event. Wilke took second with a spectacular 9.35, Schmidt took fourth with an incredible 9.25 and Haley Olsen looked great, notching a 9.1 in her exercise.

 

Haley Olsen missed the landing on her new dismount but had an otherwise great routine and finished in a tie for second. Hubbard and  Louden continued to show the consistency that they have shown throughout all the meets so far this season. Hubbard took fifth with an 8.1 and Louden tied for second with an 8.5. 

 

Schmidt did an especially nice routine and earned her best score of the season so far — an 8.75 — which also tied her personal record.

 

Becker had to count four falls in their team total Tuesday. That, along with the missed connections, event requirements and bonus tenths, it became extremely costly in their scores.  

 

O'Brien took first with an 8.7 and Hubbard and Louden tied for fourth with 8.15 scores.

 

Despite the problems on beam, the team finished up very strongly on floor.

 

O'Brien was fantastic and scored a personal best 9.375 to take first place. Right behind her was Schmidt with a 9.325 for second, Hubbard with a 9.15 for third, Severson with an 8.725 for fourth and Louden with an 8.475 for fifth.

 

We are still competing without Lindsay Olsen, Kylee Pudas and Aubree Lahr, who are trying everything they can to heal from their injuries.  Lexi Michels returned to the line-up from her recent leg injury and competed  on JV bars only.  Harmoning says she will also be resting Wilke during the holiday break to allow a strained adductor muscle to heal.

 

The varsity team returns to action at the Big Lake Invitational Jan. 9.  The JV team will need to wait until Becker’s next dual meet at Sartell  Jan. 12.  There will also be a junior high dual meet with Elk River-Rogers-Zimmerman Jan. 5 in Becker.