December 28, 2020 at 7:38 a.m.
RHS gymnasts fall to GNC Small juggernaut Medford
RHS gymnasts fall to GNC Small juggernaut Medford
The Raiders had four gymnasts score 31.975 or greater in the individual all-around last Tuesday as they downed the Hodags 130.675-114.15 in Medford.
Rhinelander coach Heather Sturtevant said the meet was less about how Medford performed and more about her team's quest for improvement.
The team had multiple falls on balance beam, had several pauses on uneven bars and a few other mistakes that ultimately widened the final margin.
"We should have had a 118, but it just seemed like if it could go wrong, it kind of was," she said. "It's OK. It really matters at conference. That's when it's going to matter, our score, and we'll see from there."
Despite some of the mistakes, there were solid scores to be had for the Hodags. Lilli Bishop cracked 30 in the all-around for the second time in as many meets as she finished fifth individually with a 30.325. She scored Rhinelander's best event finish of the night, tying for third on balance beam (7.45). She still managed to score an 8.0 and finish fifth on floor despite a fall on one of her tumbling passes. Bishop was also Rhinelander's top scorer on uneven bars (sixth, 6.775.)
Freshman Alexa Lukes competed in the all-around for the first time and finished sixth overall with a 29.0. Sturtevant said her ceiling is much higher than that.
"Her bars, she didn't even throw her switch. Floor was improved, but we know what she's capable of. She threw her layout half," she noted. "She should easily be in the 8s, we just need to clean up a few more things and get the dance a little bit more. I really do think it will come."
Bridget Koser was seventh in the all-around at a 28.475.
Bishop and Payton Rudawski each scored 8.1s on vault to lead the team in that event.
Sturtevant noted the Hodags' team score of 31.85 in that event surpassed the team's season high from last year.
"That seems to be something we're real consistent with. We're working to add more to that. That was definitely a high note for everybody," she said.
Sturtevant felt an overall season high was well within the Hodags' grasp last Tuesday, but the team was hampered by eight falls on balance beam - each coming with a half-point deduction in the individual scores.
"Beam was not our friend today. Beam was last and that did not help," she said. "It was a long night, some of the girls already feeling they didn't do as well as they wanted. Then they somehow finished floor before we (finished beam) so now you're doing it in the quiet. In some ways you just want it to be over. My girls never seem to do great when they're last on beam."
Anna Wanke and Kate Malchow tied for first in the all-around with matching scores of 33.05. Malchow won the uneven bars (8.15) and balance beam (8.2) while Wanke took the floor exercise (8.8). Makala Ulrich won the vault for the Raiders (8.5).
According to Sturtevant, the silver lining in it all for Rhinelander is the Hodags have plenty of room for improvement before they return to Medford in mid-February for the GNC meet, and the team has plenty of time to tinker with routines before its next meet Jan. 16 in Wisconsin Rapids.
"We have a lot of room and on the bus on the way home a lot of the girls, it was like, 'OK, this one came up quick. We're a little bummed that we weren't as prepared as we wanted,'" she said. "But, it's that double-edged sword. We got it out of the way. We can improve and (Medford) don't get to see it. Already a lot of the girls are like they need to up something. We're going to be doing a lot more work on bars. Everyone needs work to clean things up. We still had a lot of stops and starts. Every time, that's three or four tenths deduction. Those add up when you do them a lot in a routine. Getting those jumps cleaner on floor, not falling off beam and, a couple of girls more skills."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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