Milbank Gymnastics Team
Earns Trip To State Team Competition
Milbank Area’s performance at the Region 1A gymnastics tournament has secured the Bulldogs a spot in the state Class A team competition Friday, February 14, at Aberdeen. Eight Bulldogs have also qualified for the individual competition portion of the meet Saturday, February 15.
Milbank Area placed fourth at the region meet with 129.475 points. The top three teams in each region automatically qualify for the state competition, but the team scores are then compared to the team scores in Region 2A. Three final teams qualify by wildcard with the top scoring teams earning a berth.
“Region 1A has typically been a stacked region,” said Amber Fraasch, coach. “Four of the top five teams have come from Region 1A in the past few years.”
Other Region 1A team scores were Deuel, 142.875; Madison, 134.500; Estelline/Hendricks, 133.125; Sisseton, 115.225; Britton-Hecla, 113.675, and West Central/Montrose, 109.500.
Individuals qualifying for the state tournament and their events are Maddie Gustafson, all-around, vault, bars, beam and floor; Tori Hooth, vault and floor; Greta Snaza, all-around, vault, bars, beam and floor; Madison Mathews, bars and floor; Dani Yamaura, all-around, vault, bars, beam and floor; Laney Forrette, vault and floor; Rylie Overby, vault and beam, and Aubrey Fraasch, bars.
In all-around competition, Yamaura was the top Bulldog finisher placing 11th and Gustafson turned in a personal best score.
Fraasch had a personal best on the bar event and placed seventh overall. “We had some success but will continue to work hard on this event leading into the state tournament,” said Fraasch.
Yamaura led the team on beam with a sixth place finish and personal best score of 8.575. She had a no-fall routine as did Overby and Gustafson who also scored a personal best mark. “This was a fairly good beam day as we only counted one fall on the night,” said Fraasch. “Hitting this event will set the tone for the day and will be necessary to place in the top four at the state tournament.”
According to Fraasch, nerves and a desire to hit with perfection got the best of the Bulldog gymnasts in floor exercise. “We had good routines but gave away a few too many tenths,” said Fraasch. “We finished the night with good vaults.”
The Bulldogs ended the night with the vault where Snaza led the team with an eighth place finish.
Region 1A Meet
Uneven Parallel Bars
7. Fraasch, 8.175; 18. Mathews, 7.375; 19. Snaza, 7.350; 22. Gustafson, 7.125; 26. Yamaura, 6.575; 28. Forrette, 6.400.
Balance Beam
6. Yamaura, 8.575; 10. Gustafson, 8.0; 18. Snaza, 7.50; 19. Overby, 7.30; 25. Forrette, 6.95; 41. Hooth, 6.025.
Floor Exercise
12. Yamaura, 8.475; 14. Gustafson, 8.40; 15. Snaza, 8.35; 17. Forrette, 8.25; 20. Mathews, 8.025; 21. Hooth, 8.0.
Vault
8. Snaza, 8.75; 12. Yamaura, 8.675; 16. Hooth, 8.60; 17. Gustafson, 8.575; 22. Forrette, 8.30; 24. Overby, 8.225.
All-Around
11. Yamaura, 32.30; 12. Gustafson, 32.10; 13. Snaza, 31.950; 21. Forrette, 29.90; 32. Hooth, 22.625; 34. Mathews, 15.40.
