Smith makes state gymnastics field as alternate

Rhinelander freshman Alexis Smith left last Friday night’s WIAA Division 2 sectional gymnastics meet in Antigo disappointed that she narrowly missed automatically qualifying for the state meet on vault, but optimistic that a spot in tomorrow’s competition in Wisconsin Rapids might open up for her.

That optimism became official on Monday as the Hodags received the call from the WIAA that Smith would compete on vault as an alternate after one of the top-five finishers in the event at the sectional had to withdraw.

Smith finished tied for sixth in the vault last Friday with a score of 8.35. Only the top five and ties automatically qualify, and Smith’s mark was 0.05 points out of fifth. 

“I was really upset at first. I realized that I was that close to being able to go to state. I kind of felt disappointed in myself, but I knew that I did good. It’s my freshman year and I was proud of myself either way,” she said.

However, before the meet ended, Smith said she was approached by third-place finisher Jaiden Reed of Mosinee, who told Smith that she would not be able to compete at state due to a pre-planned family trip. A provision in the WIAA rules permits a sixth-place finisher at sectionals to compete at state, if any of the top five gymnasts are unable to compete and notify the WIAA of their intentions to withdraw prior to the start of their event. 

“When I found out that Jaiden was not going to state, it was like a weight lifted off my chest. I was so happy, so excited, really grateful that I have this opportunity,” Smith said. 

“Until it’s official though from the WIAA, there were a couple of steps that had to take place so until we got the call today it wasn’t official,” coach Kristina Aschenbrenner said during practice on Monday. “Now we know.”

Smith will become the first Hodag gymnast to compete at state since Lilli Bishop in 2021, and the two share a bit of a parallel. When Bishop qualified on balance beam three years ago, she said she figured that event would be her least likely ticket to state. While vault has been Smith’s strong suit much of this year, the simple notion of competing in that event seemed hard to fathom for her a few years ago. 

“Up until two years ago, she refused to go over the vault,” Aschenbrenner explained. 

Smith admitted it was just a matter of concurring her fear of the vault, which has since become her favorite event.

“I guess it was kind of just getting over that mental block and having the right coaches, which I’m really grateful for all the coaches that I’ve had in the past to help me get over that,” she said. “Then, just continuing to work it. I remember having practices where I would just vault for 60 minute straight. I’m so grateful that I’ve had those opportunities to practice and have good coaches and stuff.”

“It was one of those, I would like to say coach was right in saying, ‘Nope, you can do this,’” Aschenbrenner added. “Doing the drills and getting the comfort level to get to that point, she’s always been a very clean gymnast — legs straight, toes pointed, good body form. She just needed to get that comfort level with the vault.”

Smith will be the first Hodag to vault at state since Elle Spiegelhoff, who competed in that event as an all-around qualifier in 2012. One has to go back to 2007 for the last Hodag to specifically qualify for state on vault, when Brittany Terzinski made it in D1.

Expectations will be low going into tomorrow’s competition. Smith’s score from sectionals is tied for the lowest of the 27 who qualified specifically on vault. Throw in those who will also compete as part of the all-around competition, and her score sits 33rd of the 40 gymnasts in the field.

“When you look at the vaults that are going to be thrown at the state level, the start values are going to be a lot higher,” Aschenbrenner said. “She’s going to want to go in and do the best vault that she can perform and feel good about that. That would be the goal.”

To that end, Smith said she’s been working this week on getting more power on her approach in hopes of throwing a more difficult vault at state. Most of the year she’s used a half-twist on, half-twist off vault, but said she would like to try a half-full at state, should the circumstances present themselves. 

“That’s something I’ve never really tried before, but I really want to work it because I believe that I could do it,” she said. 

Aschenbrenner said the half-full will likely come out if Smith’s comfortable with attempting it and if she gets a solid first vault under her belt.

“You can throw the second one after you know how you placed on the first one. She’s be able to throw the half-half and, if she’s comfortable with that score, then go for the half-full and see what happens,” Aschenbrenner said.

Thanks to a random draw, Smith will be one of the first to compete on vault, as the qualifiers out of the Antigo sectional will have that event during the first rotation Saturday morning. Aschenbrenner said it will be a benefit to compete right away instead of having to sit around all day for one performance.

“It’s always best to just warm up and go right into it, stay in a groove. Then she’ll be able to watch others. That will be good,” she said.

Smith said watching and learning will be a big part of Saturday’s experience as she takes notes of how to improve on the vault and in the other events.

“That’s probably the second-biggest thing I’m excited for, watching the other girls, the really amazing girls, compete and get ideas and inspiration from them,” she said.

Competition begins at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School fieldhouse.

Jeremy Mayo may be reached at [email protected].