February 21, 2022 at 8:08 a.m.
RHS gymnasts take 2nd at GNCs
RHS gymnasts take 2nd at GNCs
Rhinelander scored a season-high of 107.6 points and finished second in the Small Division at the conference meet in Antigo. The Hodags tied Mosinee for second in the final conference standings as a result.
"These girls, we only have four, but they are four mighty ladies," Hodag coach Heather Sturtevant said. "We had to get so many personal bests. I cannot be more proud of these ladies and how they did today. It exceeded my hopes for today."
Rhinelander scored 93.9 points in a dual meet loss to Mosinee last Monday, but that was with being forced to take a couple of zeros without a full lineup. All four of Rhinelander's gymnasts competed in all four events on Saturday, giving the Hodags the bare minimum required to field a complete team score.
Claire Wilberding vaulted and recorded a personal-best of 7.65 points while Leta Cole performed on floor exercise and scored a 6.25. The two did not compete in those events the previous Monday. Giving it a go on Saturday was literally the difference between second and fourth for the Hodags. Mosinee, without top gymnast Avery Ahles due to injury, was third (104.15). Lakeland finished fourth (101.2).
"Claire did a front handspring vault. She's been wanting to all year. We've been trying to work to it and got a 7.45. She had a beautiful vault. Leta did floor. She hasn't done floor for like six meets, so we did not take any zeros. We had full team scores," Sturtevant said. "We took the zeros against Mosinee because we weren't quite ready. Claire wasn't quite ready on that vault. Leta wasn't quite ready to do a floor routine that she knew she could do safely. We needed those few extra days to get there."
Freshman Sophie Miljevich led Rhinelander in three of the four events and placed fourth in the individual all-around with a score of 29.3 points. Miljevich was fifth on floor exercise (7.9), sixth on uneven bars (7.3), seventh on vault (8.0) and 11th on balance beam (6.1). Senior Abby Belbot was right behind Miljevich on floor, tying for sixth with a 7.85. Belbot was also Rhinelander's top performer on balance beam (sixth, 7.1) as she took seventh in the all-around. Cole finished ninth in the all-around (26.1) and Wilberding was 11th (25.3).
Sturtevant noted all four gymnasts recorded at least one personal or season best on the day and the team had its best uneven bars score of the season at 22.05.
"They were supportive of one another. There was a light in all of them," she said. "The floor routines, everything, they were just there and that's why we got the scores. I'm really proud. I know we're only four, but I'm very proud of these four girls and how they are performing and persevering and supporting one another."
Medford dominated the GNC Small, scoring 135.15 points - which was only a tenth of a point behind GNC Large champion Marshfield. The Raiders swept every single all-conference position by taking the top three in all four events plus the all-around.
Rhinelander will be back in Antigo this Friday for WIAA Division 2 sectionals. While the Hodags are an extreme longshot for team and individual state qualification, Sturtevant said the goal will be to try to build off Saturday and end the season on a high note.
"I think we can be 108, 109 would be awesome," she said. "So it's still upping our game. We're only against ourselves, so can we better a little bit more. Can we get one or two more tenths, get that score over 108 and go out on a team high?"
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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