Lady Bulldogs Take Seventh at State — Fraasch is Runner Up

Milbank gymnasts attended the first day of the 2022 South Dakota State Gymnastics Meet on Friday, February 11, at the Corn Palace in Mitchell. The Lady Bulldogs amassed the second-highest team total at State in school history — 130.450 points — and landed in seventh place. Coach Amber Fraasch said, “It shows how tough the competition is becoming and how strong this team was.”  Sophomore Aubrey Fraasch was the state runner-up on the beam and was selected for the All-Tournament team.

Eight teams qualified for State A this year: Britton-Hecla, Chamberlain, Deuel, Estelline-Hendricks, Hot Springs, Milbank, and Wagner-Bon Homme. Coach Fraasch noted, “Many of the teams struggled at some point.” 

Aubrey Fraasch led Milbank on the beam with the team’s only no-fall routine. She scored an 8.850. 

After a slow start on the beam, Coach Fraasch said the girls stepped up. “They performed solid vaults in their second rotation. A. Fraasch and Hannah Brown had our top scores in the event. Each scored an 8.700.” 

“In our third rotation,” she said, “we had good routines but also had to count some execution errors.” Dani Yamaura led the Lady Bulldogs with her floor routine. She scored an 8.900. 

The Lady Bulldogs’ final event was the bars. “We removed some of our difficulty in order to have clean routines, and it paid off,” Coach Fraasch commented. “We finished the season with a strong, clean bar set.” A. Fraasch led Milbank with a score of 7.967.” A. Fraasch also led the team with a 33.950 score in the all-around. 

It was the final team competition for seniors Yamaura and Madison Mathews. “They have put in many hours in the gym, Coach Fraasch said. “I have been coaching them since they were in elementary school and it was hard to believe this was their final competition.”  

On Saturday, February 12, five Milbank gymnasts competed for individual awards. The top 15 place winners in each event and the top all-around received medals and a trip to the Corn Palace awards stage.  

The state champions in each of the four events followed by the highest placing all-around gymnasts (up to ten gymnasts) were also selected for the All-Tournament team. 

The five Lady Bulldogs who qualified for the individual competition, the events they competed in, and Coach Fraasch’s comments include: 

Senior – Madison Mathews competed in her final high school gymnastics competition at this meet.  Madison hit all three of her routines.—Vault: 8.417 – 30^th Bars: 7.333 – 29^th Floor: 8.233 – 28^th

Senior – Dani Yamaura competed in her final high school gymnastics competition at this meet.  She had a great floor routine to start the meet and also hit her vault and bar routine.  A slight falter on the beam kept her out of the medals in undoubtedly one of her best events. But, she finished her high school gymnastics career as one of the top Class A competitors. She received a medal for her 14th-place finish in the all-around division. Vault: 8.383 – 32^nd Bars: 7.533 – 24^th Beam: 8.050 – 20^th Floor: 8.750 – 16^th All-Around 32.717 – 14^th

Junior – Rylie Overby competed first in the floor competition in the first rotation. This was her only event of the day, so it was a tough draw for her when Milbank ended up with floor for their first rotation.  Rylie had a great routine to finish her season. Floor: 8.050 – 34^th

Sophomore – Aubrey Fraasch did not start off the meet as she hoped. Falls in the floor competition and the bars kept her from the podium in those events.  But a meet is not over until it is over and the only way you can succeed after a fall is to get back up again. In her final rotation, Aubrey repeated her no-fall beam routine of the day before and finished the meet as the state runner-up on the beam.  Aubrey’s overall score landed her in ninth place in the all-around and she was selected as a member of the All-Tournament team. Vault: 8.550 – 20^th Bars: 7.783 – 19^th Beam: 8.983 – 2^nd Floor: 8.350 – 23^rd All-Around: 33.667 – 9^th Made the All-Tournament Team 

Freshman – Hannah Brown competed in her first state competition this year.  Hannah is a strong gymnast that can swing the bars and is quick and powerful, which is showcased in her dynamic vaults. Vault: 8.550 – 20^thBars: 6.450 – 38^th

Join the Valley Express in Congratulating the Lady Bulldogs gymnastics team and Coach Fraasch and her assistants for a job well done!

Photos: Submitted & Courtesy of SDPB