It was almost a disaster for the Packer gymnastics team. With senior all-arounder Abby Bickler already out for the season with an injury, the team’s other senior all-arounder Carolyn Hackel sprained her ankle during a practice Friday on the eve of the Section 1A meet and she was unable to compete.

The Packers didn’t panic or sulk, they got the job done and they clinched their third straight trip to state when they won the 10-team Section 1A meet with a team score of 143.175 in Packer Gym Saturday. Byron took second place with a score of 138.350.

It wasn’t exactly the best case scenario for first Austin’s first year head coach Alex Bade, but he said the team responded as well as they could’ve to the adversity.

“It’s been a long 24 hours. Having to set up the gym and having that happen to Carolyn,” Bade said. “It’s really just part of life. You can only control the things you can control. Stuff’s going to happen and you’ve got to do with what you got. The girls have done a really good job of stepping up.”

A lot of gymnasts stepped up for the Packers Saturday and sophomore Maddie Mullenbach and freshman Jennifer Boyle both had huge impacts. Mullenbach won the Section 1A title and she tied Austin grad Sela Fadness for a section record when she scored a 9.75 on the floor.

Mullenbach also took first in the beam and bars.

“I’m just happy it was with one of my own teammates. [Sela’s] been one of my idols for awhile. It’s really nice to share it with her. I was definitely not expecting it though,” Mullenbach said of tying Fadness’s record. “There were a lot of tears last night [after Hackel’s injury], but we pushed through. We had one of our top scores of the year and it was pretty exciting.”

Boyle took second in the all-around for the Packers and she was first in the vault. Boyle has had to fill the role of all-around this season and she’s answered the call.

“It’s been a good time. It’s been one of my best seasons yet,” Boyle said. “We were still able to make it to state with two of our best gymnasts down. That’s really good.”

The Packers will compete in the Class A state gymnastics meet in the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion 11 a.m. at Friday. There is a chance Hackel will be back in the lineup for the Packers at state if her ankle heals quickly enough.

Austin will also have three gymnasts competing in individual Class A state gymnastics meet at the Pavilion at 11 a.m Saturday. Mullenbach will compete in all-around, bars, beam and floor; Boyle will compete in all-around, beam, bars and vault, and Paige Raymond will compete in the beam for the Packers.

Bade said the journey for the Packers was made easier this year by a strong group of gymnasts who all had a positive attitude.

“It does stink being down two of our seniors and they both happen to be pretty dang good all-arounders. We had a really good day today and it wasn’t even our best day. We had a couple of falls. For the most part, we were rocking,” Bade said. “This whole team is full of really great gymnasts. If you’ve going to be a successful team, you’ve got to have those kids who are going to be there when you need them. [Maddie and Jen] have done an awesome job of that.”

RESULTS

Vault: Jennifer Boyle (first, 9.425); Maddie Mullenbach (fifth, 9.025); Rachel Quandt (eighth, 8.950); Logan Tischer (8.825); Sam Sheldon (8.525)

Floor: Mullenbach (first, 9.750); Quandt (10th, 8.975); Tischer (8.875); Sheldon (8.825); Boyle (8.525)

Beam: Mullenbach (first, 9.5); Paige Raymond (third, 8.775); Isabel Leuer (seventh, 8.7); Boyle (8.4); Sheldon (8.25)

Bars: Mullenbach (first, 9.4); Boyle (third, 9.35); Quandt (ninth, 8.3); Jordan DeLaMater (8.1); Isabel Leuer (7.55)

All-Around: Mullenbach (first, 37.675); Boyle (second, 35.7)