January 29, 2018 at 2:18 p.m.
Hodag gymnasts win White division in Antigo
Hodag gymnasts win White division in Antigo
The 14-team meet was split into two divisions, based on scores throughout the season. The Hodags finished first in the lower-tier White division, and posted the seventh-best team score overall, with a total of 117.825 points.
"I'm really proud of the girls," coach Heather Sturtevant said. "They had clean routines, stuck it. We had only three falls on beam, which is huge. Those littler skills, that's what they're trying to clean up."
It was a big day for both of Rhinelander's all-around competitors. Senior Stephanie Kuester finished second in the all-around with a score of 31.9 points. Junior Raven Sturtevant was right behind her in third at 31.7.
Kuester's day included a runner-up finish on vault (8.275) and uneven bars (7.725) and a tie for second on floor exercise (8.325).
Sturtevant reached the podium in all four events, tying with Kuester for second on floor, placing second on balance beam (7.925), third on uneven bars (7.375) and fifth on vault (8.05).
"They did what we asked them to do and we can't ask for more than that right now," Heather Sturtevant said.
Rhinelander placed three gymnasts in the top five on floor exercise. Freshman Bridget Koser took fifth with a 7.625.
"Everybody's been working on their jump connections and just being solid on everything and it's working," coach Sturtevant said.
Though the Hodags posted higher scores on vault and floor exercise, balance beam was the highlight of the day. Both Raven Sturtevant and Alyssa Mitchell turned in no-fall routines and the team fell only three times overall on an apparatus it has struggled with all season.
"That was definitely a changing point," Heather Sturtevant said. "That was huge that we were able to stay on. Now if we can get bars to be up there, we'll be good. Now we're really going to target that as well as work on everything else."
Saturday's 14-team field included all eight teams that will be in Antigo for a WIAA Division 2 sectional on Feb. 22. Ashland and Antigo - which placed second and fifth, respectively, in the Maroon Division - were the highest scoring teams of the sectional grouping. Rhinelander was third of the sectional eight, more than six points behind the Robins. The top two teams at sectionals earn a trip to the team portion of the WIAA state gymnastics meet in Wisconsin Rapids in early March.
Washburn, which is new to the sectional this year, could be a spoiler in the individual competition come late February. Though the Castleguards brought only two gymnasts to Saturday's invite, sophomore Lakyn Sonday won the White Division all-around in a landslide, taking all four individual events en route to a total score of 34.125.
The top five gymnasts in each event, and the all-around, at sectionals earn state meet berths.
"We got an eye-opener," Heather Sturtevant said. "This is the first time we got to see Washburn. that was really nice to see. It kinds of gives us (an idea of) where we're at and give us some little points more to take on those top teams."
The Hodags are off until Feb. 8 when they host defending GNC Small champion Medford at the Jim Miazga Community Gymnasium. Medford is not performing at the same level as last season, however. They finished third in the White Division Saturday with a score of 101.65.
"We feel good but we can never take anything for granted," Sturtevant said. "We could lose girls (to injury). We could be sick. It depends on the day and we can never take our (division) teams for granted."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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