March 2, 2022 at 3:33 p.m.
Hodag gymnasts hold year-end banquet
Hodag gymnasts hold year-end banquet
The Hodags finished with only four gymnasts on the roster, and all four received their varsity letters. While there was some attrition, coach Heather Sturtevant said those who persevered finished the season strong -as was evidenced with back-to-back season-high team scores in the final two meets of the year.
"This was a tough season. We had a lot of ups and downs, but we are so proud of you four ladies that stuck through it," she said at the banquet. "You did not give up on your team in one season. You kept the team in mind as you did things, so it wasn't just personal. You supported each other when we really, really needed. You stepped up when we really, really needed it, to really finish the season."
The majority of the awards presented during the banquet were merit-based, focusing on each individual's best efforts. Senior Abby Belbot and freshman Sophie Miljevich received the highest honors of the evening as this year's honorees in the 8.0 Club.
As the name suggest, the award goes to gymnasts who achieved a score of 8.0 or higher in at least one event during the course of the season. Both Belbot and Miljevich earned the award on vault and on floor exercise - and both finished their seasons with season-high scores on floor at last Friday's WIAA Division 2 sectional meet.
Three of the four gymnasts - Belbot, Leta Cole and Claire Wilberding - received personal-best awards from beating their high score in at least one event from a previous season. Belbot, who returned to gymnastics after taking a year off, posted career-high scores on floor (8.35), vault (8.0) and the individual all-around (28.1).
"We lost her last year. She went and tried dance for a little bit, but I'm so happy you came back to finish with us your senior year," Sturtevant said.
Cole, a junior, recorded personal bests on vault (7.5), balance beam (6.6) and uneven bars (6.1). Wilberding recorded personal bests on floor (7.925) and uneven bars (4.5).
Miljevich, as a freshman, received benchmark awards in all four events, plus the all-around. She established personal bests (29.875 all-around, 8.3 floor, 8.125 vault, 7.5 beam, 7.3 bars) that she will look to surpass in subsequent high school seasons.
"That 30 (in the all-around) is right there," Sturtevant said. "Next year I know it will be and, for you personally, next year I hope you shoot for over 31. You can easily do that."
Cole and Wilberding also earned benchmark awards for doing different events for the first time in their high school careers. Cole set benchmarks on floor (6.8) and all-around (26.15) while Wilberding set benchmarks on vault (7.5), balance beam (7.0) and all-around (26.025).
Sturtevant noted it was imperative for both Cole and Wilberding to step up an do all-around for the Hodags down the stretch as the roster dwindled.
"Claire she stepped in and did that straddle vault a couple of times," Sturtevant said. "That's only a 7.0 max and she's like, 'You know, I'd really like to work on vault.' We worked and worked and worked. She didn't vault for a number of meets. At conference and sectionals she pulled it off. She got a 7.45 at conference and a 7.5 at sectionals which was amazing and really helped our team.
"Leta doesn't really love floor, but we needed her to step up and she did really, really well. She also learned that you don't have to do those big skills. You don't necessarily have to do double back (flips) and full twists and all this crazy stuff. If we can be clean, we can still have a nice score."
Additionally Sturtevant presented Wilberding with an improvement award for the strides she made during the season.
Despite low numbers, the Hodags finished tied for second in the GNC Small division and were sixth out of seven teams at sectionals. Rhinelander surpassed 100 points in every meet in which it had four qualifying scores in each event. The Hodags closed the year with a team-best 108.45 at sectionals.
"At the beginning of the season I wasn't even thinking of a 108," Sturtevant said. "We still had personal bests by a lot at sectionals and conference ... "To me, that just embodies what a team should be. Gymnastics is hard. We compete individually, but yet we need to be there as a team, supporting each other, lifting everybody up, lifting everybody to get better."
Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].
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