The Packer gymnastics team is inviting a few of their summer workout partners for a meet at the Austin YMCA Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Those workout partners happen to be the Winona gymnastics team, which is currently ranked No. 4 in Class ‘AA’ and the Packers are ranked third in Class ‘A.’ The ranking is based on scoring averages and the teams are one point from each other, so Austin, which has won every dual its competed in this season, will have its biggest test of the season.

“We have a great relationship with Winona,” Austin head coach Mark Raymond said. “We have worked out together for the last couple of years in the summer and it will add to the environment. Don’t be surprised to see us cheering for the Winona girls. We are hoping that we can all perform to our ability and it will show in the scores. We’re hoping to see two really big team scores.”

The Packers have been putting up their best marks of the year as of late as they posted a school record score of 145.25 in Rochester Jan. 8 and they Austin put up a 143.5 in Farmington Saturday. While the scores have improved, the hard work has also taken a toll on the gymnasts, both physically and mentally.

Austin’s JV team also broke a school record in the meet in Rochester with a mark of 130.3. That mark would have had the Packers JV team ranked 19th in the state if it was done on varsity.

“The girls have been pushing really hard to get to this point and it has been a little exhausting,” Raymond said. “It will be good to have this meet with Winona and then take a step back to refocus our efforts and make a push here at the end of the season.”

Tuesday’s competition will be the final home meet for the Packers. Austin has just one dual left and the Big Nine meet is set for Feb. 9.