Lady Bulldog Gymnasts Take Third at Sisseton

The Milbank Area gymnastics team was so happy to start their 2023-2024 season they did cartwheels! The Lady Bulldogs traveled to Sisseton on Tuesday, November 28, for a triangular. Sisseton captured first place with 114.55 points. Breckenridge-Wahpeton came in second with 114.1 points. Milbank was close behind in third with 106.8 points.

Kelly Wollschlager, head coach for Milbank, says this year’s roster includes five returning varsity letter winners: Hannah Brown and Gemma Street, both juniors; Macyn Dunnihoo and Madilyn Sletten, both freshmen; and Raina Untalan, an eighth grader. Also gracing the roster and competing for the first time at Sisseton, were Aria Prasnicki and Jada Leigh Wellnitz. Both are seventh graders.

It was the first meet of the season and the first meet ever for some of the Milbank gymnasts, and akin to the parallel bars, their confidence was a bit uneven. The season opener, however, featured solid performances and ratings, including a personal best score by Gemma and a no-fall beam routine by Aria. 

Coach Wollschlager commented, “First-meet nerves showed up during our first event on the Balance Beam. Gemma scored 6.85 to place fourth, Jada Leigh placed fifth with her score of  6.75, and  Raina took 10th at 5.8. Madilyn placed 12th at 5.25. Aria scored 5.0 to take 13th place.”

In her routine on the Floor, Gemma debuted a round-off back tuck and the response was positive. She scored a personal best of 8.45 and tied for fourth place. Madilyn scored 7.75 to place seventh. Raina earned a 7.3 to place ninth. Aria hit 6.8 to tie for 12th, and Jada Leigh placed 14th at 6.6. 

In the Vault competition, Gemma posted an 8.0 to place seventh. Raina placed 10th at 7.7. Madilyn scored 7.6 to place 11th. Jada Leigh placed 13th at 7.25, and Aria placed 15th at 6.8.

Ending the meet on Bars, Raina finished strong with a no-stop clean routine. She scored 5.7 to place fifth. Gemma scored  5.5 to land in seventh place, Jada Leigh hit 5.1 to place 10th, Aria placed 11th at 5.0, and Madilyn placed 13th at 4.6.

In the All Around competition, Gemma came in sixth at 28.8. Raina was eighth at 26.5.  Jada Leigh took 11th at 25.7. Madilyn was 12th at 25.2, and Aria finished 14th at 23.6.

What’s next for the Lady Bulldogs? Milbank Area travels to Vermillion on Saturday, December 2. The meet kicks off at 11 a.m.

Photo: Gemma Street