GMC gymnasts win sectional

The Gale-Ettrick-Trempealeau/Melrose-Mindoro/Cochrane-Fountain City (GMC) gymnastics team members hit their marks and tallied top scores en route to earning a trip to state at the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division Two River Falls Sectional on Saturday.

GMC tallied a 136.95 team score, besting a field that included River Falls’ 135.475, West Salem’s 134.525, Menomonie’s 128.675, Grantsburg’s 125.55, Rice Lake’s 119.325, Arcadia’s 116.275 and Onalaska’s 77.2. 

GMC and River Falls’ scores advance them as a team to state competition, along with the top five all-around scores advancing each of those individuals. Three GMC athletes made the top five scores, including Abby Miller, Sophie White and Paris Lambert.

The WIAA state gymnastics meets take place in Wisconsin Rapids this weekend, with team competition taking place on Friday, and individual competition taking place on Saturday.

River Falls Sectional - GMC’s top team performance was led by the individual qualifying performances of Miller, White and Lambert, who finished second, fourth and tied for fifth respectively in the all-around. 

Autumn Tiede of River Falls was the all-around leader with a score of 35.85, followed by Miller’s 35.225, Melody Greenwood of Menomonie’s 34.625, White’s 34.2 and Jeni Peterson of Grantsburg and Lambert each with scores of 34.15 to round out state-qualifying individuals.

Miller’s score included a 9.1 on the floor, 8.9 on the beam, 8.65 on vault and an 8.575 on the uneven bars. White’s day included an 8.95 on the floor, 8.7 on beam, 8.3 on the bars and an 8.25 on vault. Lambert finished with an 8.825 on the floor, 8.8 on the vault, 8.3 on the bars and an 8.225 on the beam. Rounding out the top four for GMC was Lauren Koss’ 12th-overall all-around of 32.175, which included an 8.95 on the floor, 8.125 on the vault, 7.85 on bars and a 7.25 on the beam.

Arcadia was led by a score of 29.65 that tied for 20th from Nora Bergerson, which included a 7.9 on the floor, 7.75 on vault, 7.25 on the bars and a 6.75 on the beam. She was followed by Wendy Pronschinske’s 22nd-overall all-around of 29.6, which included a 7.9 on the vault, 7.85 on the floor, 7 on the bars and a 6.85 on the beam.

Kiara Weaver finished right behind in 23rd with a score of 29.35, which included an 8.225 on the beam, 7.95 on the floor, 7.375 on the vault and a 5.8 on the bars. Finally at 25th overall was Rachel Knudson, who finished with a 26.875 that included a 7.25 on the beam, 7.1 on the vault, 6.925 on the floor and a 5.6 on the bars.