Gallery: Austin gymnasts take 6th at state
Published 2:19 pm Friday, February 20, 2015
- Austin’s Sam Sheldon wraps up her second vault with a flourish during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Logan Tischer comes off the vault during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Rachel Quandt hits the vault Friday during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion last season. Herald File Photo
- Austin’s Maddie Mullenbach hits the vault during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Jordan DelaMater reaches for the bar during her go on the uneven parallel bars Friday during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Carolyn Hackel reaches for bar during her performance on the uneven parallel bars Friday during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Carolyn Hackel dismounts the uneven parallel bars Friday during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Jennifer Boyle dismounts from the uneven parallel bars Friday during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Sam Sheldon performs on the balance beam during the Minnesota Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Paige Raymond performs on the balance beam during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Tournament Friday at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Paige Raymond dismounts the beam during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet Friday at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Isabel Leuer performs on the balance beam during the Class A MInnesota State Gymnastics Meet at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Jennifer Boyle performs on the balance beam during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet Friday at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Sam Sheldon performs on the floor during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet Friday at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Logan Tischer competes on the floor during the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet Friday at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
- Austin’s Maddie Mullenbach goes airborne during her floor routine during the team competition of the Class A Minnesota State Gymnastics Meet Saturday at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Eric Johnson/photodesk@austindailyherald.com
MINNEAPOLIS — The Austin gymnastics team hit on three of its four events, but a couple of miscues kept them out of the top four as it finished in sixth place at the Class A state gymnastics meet in the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion Friday.
The Packers finished with a team score of 142.650 and they were edged out by fifth place Becker, which had a 142.825, and North Branch finished in fourth with a 142.850. The Packers suffered four costly falls on the beam as they finished with a 33.850 in the event.
“I’m fairly pleased with our performance today, for the most part it was good,” Austin head coach Alex Bade said. “We didn’t hit beam and beam killed us. That made a big difference on our score and how we finished. That really hurt us, but other than that we were solid everywhere and I think we had a very good meet.”
For the Packers, it was a ride just for them to get the state meet. Austin senior Abby Bickler sat out the last part of the season with an injury, and senior Carolyn Hackel, only competed in the bars Friday due to an injury. Juniors Rachel Quandt and Logan Tischer had to step up this season and lead the way.
“We definitely had to step up and show some leadership, especially before sections,” Quandt said. “We had to pick up the girls and tell them to believe in themselves.”
Tischer and Quandt have been a part of the Packer gymnastics team for years, but this year they were able to put forth their biggest contribution to the team. Quandt had an 8.65 on the vault, an 8.2 on the bars, and a 9.15 on the floor and Tischer had a 9.025 on the vault and a 9.15 on the floor.
“It feels amazing. Alex was telling everyone how proud he was and that tells a lot in itself,” Tischer said. “We wanted to have fun, smile, make it a great day and leave it all out there.”
Austin had a good look at its future on Friday as the team will bring back the majority of the lineup it had competing at the state meet. Bade will also have an entire offseason to work with the team and he will be more familiar with the squad after one year with the Packers.
“It is nice to know all of these kids are going to come back. At the same time it kind of stinks to know it’s because we lost our two seniors. It’s a little bittersweet,” Bade said. “I’m really proud of the way the girls fought after losing two seniors.”
Austin’s Maddie Mullenbach and Jennifer Boyle will compete in the individual all-around state meet and Paige Raymond will compete in the bars 11 a.m. Saturday in the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion.
RESULTS
Team standings: 1. Detroit Lakes, 150.025; 2. Melrose Area, 149.200; 3. Watertown-Mayer-Mound-Westonka, 145.725; 4. North Branch, 142.850; 5. Becker, 142.825; 6. Austin, 142.650; 7. Worthington, 137.20; Orono, 132.825
Vault: Sam Sheldon (8.950); Logan Tischer (9.025); Rachel Quandt (8.65); Jennifer Boyle (8.95); Maddie Mullenbach (9.45)
Bars: Jordan DelaMater (7.775); Quandt (8.2); Carolyn Hackel (8.425); Boyle (9.4); Mullenbach (9.35)
Beam: Sheldon (7.4); Paige Raymond (8.475); Isabel Leuer (7.8); Boyle (8.55); Mullenbach (9.025)
Floor: Sheldon (8.8); Quandt (9.15); Tischer (9.15); Boyle (9.15); Mullenbach (9.6)