February 3, 2022 at 8:49 a.m.
Hodag gymnasts edge Lakeland in GNC Small dual
Hodag gymnasts edge Lakeland in GNC Small dual
The Hodags outscored the Thunderbirds in three of four events and took a 103.45-99.5 victory in Minocqua.
Rhinelander had freshman Sophie Miljevich (hand) back in the all-around on Tuesday as she swept all four events. Junior Payton Rudawski (back, elbow) was limited to only balance beam and the Hodags were still able to break 100 despite a thin lineup.
"With injuries and girls coming in an out (of the lineup) over the last couple of days, we really weren't sure what we were going to have tonight," coach Heather Sturtevant said. "We needed it. The girls were able to somewhat rise to the occasion. Bars and beam were not our best friends today but vault, the ladies did well and we did well on floor.
"I'm very proud of these girls. We're a very small group so everyone has to do a lot more than they might want, but they're doing it."
Miljevich was one of the biggest question marks going into the meet after injuring her hand last week and competing on only balance beam in an invite last Saturday in Antigo. But Miljevich got the green light to compete in all four events Tuesday. She won them all, highlighted by a personal-best score of 8.1 on vault, and a 7.8 on the floor exercise as she scored 29.25 in the all-around to defeat Lakeland's Vicky Supinski by more than three points.
"It was nice having Sophie back," Sturtevant noted. "She definitely contributed significantly tonight. Even coming back off the finger injury she was able to throw up some really nice scores, actually got a personal best on vault. It was a really a beautiful vault. We were very happy for that because we weren't sure this past weekend what we would be able to put her on."
Rhinelander had two finishers in the top three of every event. Senior Abby Belbot finished third on the vault (7.65) and was fourth in the all-around (22.45). Rudawski, in her only event, finished runner-up on balance beam (6.3). Leta Cole took third on uneven bars (5.15). Wendy Fronk took third on the floor exercise (7.1). She also had a 7.1 on balance beam as a JV entry, a score that would have been good enough to have won the varsity competition.
"Wendy would have taken beam with a 7.1, and that was even with a fall," Sturtevant said. "She really threw up a beautiful routine. We'll be putting her back on the varsity roster for sure on Friday for beam. That's kind of nice that we are getting a little bit more of a mix."
Overall, Sturtevant said balance beam was a struggle for a second meet in a row with the team totaling 15 falls. Rhinelander still managed to outscore Lakeland 23.95-22.6 in the event.
"The content is good, we just need to stay on an be cleaner and then we're going to get some really nice rewards as far as the scores," Sturtevant said. "They're looking ahead to conference and sectionals so they were throwing in a few new jump combinations on floor, a few new things on beam. It was kind of nice, some of them we were happily rewarded. Others, we just need to keep working."
The Hodags are back in action tonight in a non-conference invitational at Marshfield.
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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