Hodag gymnasts take 8th in Ashland

The Rhinelander High School gymnastics team posted another solid score as it took eighth on Saturday in the Ashland Valentines Invite. The Hodags earned their third-best score of the year, totaling 109.9 points.

Freshman Alexis Smith led the Hodags in the individual all-around, taking 23rd overall with a score of 28.55. Fellow freshmen teammates Karly Gillingham (28.2) and Samantha Aschenbrenner (27.2) weren’t far behind in 25th and 29th.

Smith had the Hodags’ highest score and placement on the day as she continued a strong season on vault. She earned an 8.5 this time around, which put her in eighth place on the day. Smith also led the Hodags on the floor exercise, taking 20th with a 7.65.

Gillingham was the only other Hodag in the 8s on Saturday. Despite a fall, she still managed an 8.0 on the balance beam as she took 15th in the event. Aschenbrenner led the Hodags on the uneven bars, taking 39th with a 5.35.

“Beam was rough with a number of falls and no ‘no fall’ routines. However, Karly did get an 8,” Hodag coach Kristina Aschenbrenner told the River News via text. “Alexis and Sammy threw some new floor skills and made them. Vault was consistent. Alexis was our highest score with an 8.5. Karly, Alexis and Sam all threw a new bar release skill and made them.”

The competition allowed teams to compete up to six gymnasts in each event, instead of the standard five, with the top four scores still counting. The Hodags, who have been plagued by ailments, were not able to field six gymnasts in any event. In addition to injuries that kept Arieanna Crossman and Lena Timphus out of the lineup, Wendy Fronk scratched out of the vault on Saturday.

“Wendy and Karly both had minor injuries, most likely pulled or strained muscles, which made the day a bit difficult,” coach Aschenbrenner noted.

Bloomer scored 131.75 points and edged Medford for first place on the day by just more than three-tenths of a point. Bloomer’s Olivia Price (34.275) edged Medford’s Kyla Krause by a quarter point to capture the all-around. 

Rhinelander was third among the four GNC Small schools in attendance. Ashland took fourth, Antigo was fifth and Lakeland finished ninth.  

The Hodags are third in the GNC Small and will host the Great Northern Conference championship meet this Saturday at the YMCA of the Northwoods. All nine schools from the GNC’s Large and Small divisions will compete. The meet gets underway at 10 a.m.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].