The Class AA 6th ranked Laker Gymnastics team took 2nd place out of 10 teams at the Breck Invitational on Saturday, February 1st. Their score of 142.45 places this team as the 2nd highest scoring team in program history.
The Lakers started on the balance beam, led by junior Madeline Chappuis and sophomore Clare Draine with scores of 8.825, good enough for a tie for tenth place and a personal best for Chappuis. Beam is a challenging event to begin on as nerves are high. Although a few falls happened, the Lakers were able to bounce back in the next rotation, floor.
Winning floor as a team with a total of 36.95, the Lakers had all 5 girls in the top twelve. Madeline Chappuis’s clean routine led again with another personal best at 9.325. Seniors Ava Loftness and Brooklynne Thorson both combined advanced high tumbling passes to tie for 3rd with a 9.3, a personal best for Loftness. Sisters Annie Draine and Clare Draine went 9.0 and 8.95, respectively, to cap off floor for the Lakers.
Next, senior Kaylee Hawks led off vault with a season best 8.7 and a 13th place finish. Thorson spun her “handspring full” into an 8.8, with Chappuis flipping a “tuck Tsuk” for a 8.85 finish. Finally, senior captain Loftness flipped her “layout Tsuk” for a personal best and a second place finish with a score of 9.55.
The final event for the Lakers was bars, their other winning event. Senior captain Annie Draine led the Lakers with a “clean bail” for an 3rd place 8.925 finish. Clare Draine followed with a 6th place finish, spinning a “giant to bail” for an 8.825 personal best score. Loftness connected two “clear hip handstands” for a seventh place finish with a score of 8.8.
The Lakers’ final dual meet takes place February 4th at Lakeville North, with their sectional tournament on Friday, February 14th at Minnetonka High School.
Team Scores:
1st Place Breck: 144.45
2nd Place Lakers: 142.45
All Around:
5th Ava Loftness 35.6
9th Annie Draine 34.925
10th Madeline Chappuis 34.85
Vault:
T-2nd Ava Loftness 9.55
8th Madeline Chappuis 8.85
T-9th Brooklynne Thorson 8.8
13th Kaylee Hawks 8.7
Annie Draine 8.3
Bars:
3rd Annie Draine 8.925
6th Clare Draine 8.825
7th Ava Loftness 8.8
16th Sofia Vold 8.075
Madeline Chappuis 7.85
Beam:
T-10th Clare Draine 8.825
T-10th Madeline Chappuis 8.825
15th Annie Draine 8.7
16th Brooklynne Thorson 8.65
Ava Loftness 7.95
Floor 36.925 (SB):
2nd Madeline Chappuis 9.325
T- 3rd Brooklynne Thorson 9.3
T- 3rd Ava Loftness 9.3
T- 10th Annie Draine 9.0
12th Clare Draine 8.95
