Milbank Gymnasts Kick Off Season With Second Place at Sisseton Triangular

The Milbank Lady Bulldog gymnastics team kicked off its competitive season with a second place team finish at the Sisseton Triangular Monday, November 27.

Milbank scored 125.30 points behind Watertown’s 131.55. Sisseton took third with 117.45 points. “We had a very good first meet,” stated Lady Bulldog head coach Amber Fraasch. “One of our goals is to not score lower than 125 points at any meet this season. Scoring 125.3 points at this first meet not only started us on the road to achieving that goal but was also around six points higher than the score we posted at the same meet last year. Unfortunately, we will be unable to attain the goal of remaining injury free, a goal of every athletic team. Senior Emily Dornbusch suffered season ending severe ankle sprain and foot fracture from a fall off the beam.”

Junior Mackenzie Weinkauf led the team with a first place all-around finish of 32.45. “This was Mackenzie’s first state all-around qualifying score,” added Coach Fraasch. She also had a state qualifying score of 8.75 on the floor exercise. To in-season qualify for the state meet a gymnast must post three state qualifying scores in that event during the regular season. In-season qualifying scores are 8.6 for the floor and vault, 8.3 for the beam and bars and 32.00 in the all-around.

Weinkauf and Jodi DeVaal tied for second on the vault, and Weinkauf took second on beam and floor. DeVaal finished fourth in the all-around competition and fifth on floor. Maddie Gustafson placed third on vault while Greta Snaza captured fourth on bars. Also placing for Milbank Area was Dani Yamaura, fifth on beam.

“We had multiple personal best scores and many of the gymnasts competed at a higher level for the first time,” said Coach Fraasch. “The gymnasts are always a little nervous for the first meet of the year. Now they have an idea of what their routines will score and what they need to work on to improve upon them. Although we had some new skills added, most of our routines contained skills competed last season. We will be looking to add new skills while cleaning up execution throughout the season.”
The junior varsity team also competed and came away with second place with 115.65 points. Watertown JV took first with 126.15, and Sisseton was third with 81.10.

Following are the complete results from the meet:
Varsity
All Around Competition – 1. Mackenzie Weinkauf, 32.45; 4. Jodi DeVaal, 30.20.
Vault – 2. Mackenzie Weinkauf and Jodi DeVaal, 8.50; 3. Maddie Gustafson, 8.40; Greta Snaza, 8.2; Tori Hooth, 8.1; Mackenzie Stegner, 7.4.
Uneven Parallel Bars – 4. Greta Snaza, 7.65; Joci McFarland, 7.25; Dani Yamaura, 7.15; Mackenzie Weinkauf, 7.05; Maddie Gustafson, 6.65; Jodi DeVaal, 6.2.
Balance Beam – 2. Mackenzie Weinkauf, 8.15; 5. Dani Yamaura, 7.50; Jodi DeVaal, 7.05; Emily Dornbusch, 6.65; Christina Lusk, 6.65; Tori Hooth, 6.55.
Floor Exercise – 2. Mackenzie Weinkauf, 8.75; 5. Jodi DeVaal, 8.45; Maddie Gustafson, 8.2; Greta Snaza, 7.85; Christina Lusk, 7.6.
Junior Varsity
All-Around Competition – 4. Madison Mathews, 27.55; 5. Sierra Barse, 25.20.
Vault – 4. Sierra Barse, Madison Mathews and Joci McFarland, 8.00 (tie); Dani Yamaura, 7.9; Laney Forrette, 7.8; Christina Lusk, 7.70; Kayla Bury, 7.4.
Uneven Parallel Bars – 5. Christina Lusk and Madison Mathews, 6.45 (tie); Lindsey Hartman, 5.95; Tori Hooth, 5.95; Laney Forrette, 5.85; Sierra Barse, 4.75; Mackenzie Stegner, 4.6.
Balance Beam – 4. Greta Snaza, 7.50; Joci McFarland, 7.0; Maddie Gustafson, 6.75; Peyten Wiese, 5.95; Mackenzie Stegner, 5.9; Madison Mathews, 5.0; Sierra Barse, 4.95.
Floor Exercise – 2. Dani Yamaura, 8.35; 3. Madison Mathews, 8.10; Joci McFarland, 7.80; Sierra Barse, 7.5; Tori Hooth, 7.35; Mackenzie Stegner, 7.2; Peyten Wiese, 5.55.

Pictured is senior Emily Dornbusch.