JV and Middle School Gymnasts Shine at Sisseton

JV Milbank vs. JV Sisseton  
The Milbank junior varsity gymnastics team competed at the Sisseton Invitational on Saturday, January 3.  Several members of the team were missing from the roster, but the Lady Bulldogs who made the trip, stepped up to produce some great scores. Britton-Hecla won the meet with 103.55 team points. Sisseton scored 102.7 points to take second place. Milbank acquired 95.15 points.

Abigail Benike performed a well-executed handspring vault to score 7.6. She captured third place. Isabelle Karels performed a strong one-half handspring vault. She scored 7.3 to tie for fifth place. Elise Graham recorded a personal best score of 7.1. She took 10th place. Ariana Prisinger performed her handspring vault for the first time in competition. Her debut earned her a score of  6.3.  

JV head coach Michele Benike highlighted some of the gymnasts’progress, “Isabelle has been working on her connections and dismounts on the uneven bars.  She earned her personal best score at 4.95 and fifth place. Abigail scored  5.4 for second place.  Elise scored 3.85, and Ariana scored 2.0. Ariana has been getting stronger and executing more of her skills without a coach spot.” 

Coach Benike also commented. “Elise collected a personal best score on the beam with a score of 5.4.  Ariana improved her score from the past meet by almost two points.  She scored a 5.6.  Isabelle improved her score by one  point and scored a 6.15.  Abigail had a nice pose on the end of the beam and won the balance beam with a score of 7.4.”

Ariana competed on the floor for the second time this season and for the first time during a junior varsity meet. She scored 4.9.  Isabelle scored 6.45.  Abigail scored 7.3. She took fourth place.  “Elise had her best performance on the floor.  She has been making some improvements to her tumbling passes and combined that with her excellent jumps.  She scored a 7.45 for a new personal best and placed third!” added Coach Benike.

In the All-Around competition, Abigail finished in second place at 27.7. Isabelle scored 24.85 – a personal best – and good for sixth place.  Elise scored 23.8, also a personal best, to secure ninth place.  Ariana recorded her first All-Around junior varsity score of 18.8. She took 12th place.

M.S. Milbank vs. M.S. Sisseton
Milbank Middle School gymnasts traveled to the Sisseton Middle School meet on Monday, January 5.  Athletes from Aberdeen and  Britton-Hecla also entered the competition. High school gymnasts served as the judges. 

Milbank entered Ariana Prisinger and Isabelle Karels both seventh graders, and Abigail Benike, Elise Graham, and Alesana Olson – all eighth graders.

On the Vault, Abigail scored  8.35 to claim fourth place for the Lady Bulldogs. Elise presented a handspring vault to score 7.95 and place 10th. Alesana made her gymnastics debut. She performed  a handspring vault and scored  7.7 to take 12th place.  

In the seventh- grade division, Isabelle performed a one-half handspring vault. She scored 8.3 to tie for first place. Abigail added a long hang kip on the high bar to her bar routine. She scored 7.7 for second place. Elise scored 4.5 and placed ninth. Ariana completed a handspring vault. She scored 7.35 to finish in 12th place. 

Michele Benike, coach of the middle school team commented, “Alesana has been working on gaining more skills for her Bar routine. She scored 3.1 for 10th place. Isabelle stuck her one-half turn dismount and scored  5.7 for third  place. Ariana scored 3.5 for 11th place.”

Isabelle had a solid no-fall routine and scored 8.0 in the Beam competition.  She won the seventh-grade division. Abigail  scored 7.7 for third place. Elise presented a no-fall routine to score 7.0 to take seventh place. Ariana  scored 6.4 for 10th place. Alesana had only one fall in her routine. She scored 5.5 for 12th place.

The team finished the meet on the Floor. Abigail recorded an  exceptional score of 9.8. She won  the eighth- grade division. Elise had another great score of 9.1 to take fourth place. Isabelle scored 7.8 and tied for fourth place. Alesana scored  5.3 for 11th place. Ariana scored a 5.5 to finish in 17th place. 

Coach Benike noted, “Although it is hard to compare middle school and high school meets with the different scoring systems used, I would say that the girls had their best meet of the season! They are all gaining confidence and improving their performances at each meet. “ 

In the all-around competition, Abigail scored 33.55 for a first place finish.  Isabelle scored 29.8 and finished in second place. Elise scored 28.55 and placed fifth in the eighth- grade division.

Coach Benike also explained the girls’ varied upcoming schedules. “Next week, Ariana and Alesana will compete in Britton at the middle school meet. The rest of the team will travel to Hendricks, Minnesota, for a high school meet. Then, the team will finish together at the Madison Junior Varsity Invitational on Friday, January 16.