GYMNASTICS: WHS gymnastics team improves to 4-0 in SWC

LUVERNE — It was a successful night for the Worthington gymnastics team.

Facing Luverne in a Southwest Conference meet on Friday night, the Trojans earned an 11-point victory.

WHS finished with a 128.775, while the Cardinals had a 117.15.

“We had a really good night,” WHS head coach Joni Reitmeier said. “Our scores were a little lower on bars. The routines were good, but it was just different judging. We had really good floor routines, but again, it was a different place with different judges with different opinions. That kind of brought the score down just a little bit. On the balance beam, we had some falls so it wasn’t perfect, but it was a vast improvement from the last few meets. Overall, we had just an outstanding meet. The girls did really well. They all performed well on JV and on varsity. It was a successful night for sure.”

Tara Svalland had another solid night, winning the vault, bars, floor and the all-around. She was second in the beam.

On the vault, Svalland was first with a 9.1, while Luverne’s Gretchen Nowatzki was second with a 9.0. Worthington’s Paige Kinley was third with an 8.975.

On the bars, Svalland was first with an 8.3, while Kinley was second with a 7.3.

Luverne’s Kaitlin Van Meeteren and Worthington’s Stephanie Jaycox tied for third with a 7.2.

On the beam, Worthington’s Genevieve Bern was first with a 7.95, while Kinley and Svalland tied for second with a 7.525.

Trojan Anna Koepsell was third with a 7.425.

On the floor, Svalland was first with an 8.9, while Koepsell was second with an 8.5. Kinley was third with an 8.4.

In the all-around competition, Svalland was first with a 33.825, while Kinley was second with a 32.2. Van Meeteren was third with a 29.35.

“It’s always good to go on the road and see different judges and see the different teams in their environment,” Reitmeier said. “That definitely makes us stronger and lets us know that we can do it in other places. The girls did really well today. They went out there, they did their thing and held their heads up high.”

In the junior varsity competition, the Trojans finished with a 110.6, while Luverne had a 98.7.

Jaycox was first on the vault with an 8.2, while Whitney Jensen was second with an 8.1. Haley Gravenhof, who won the all around with a score of 26.75, was third with an 8.0.

Bern was first on the bars, while Kara Honius was second and Koepsell was third.

Ellen Dudley was first on the beam with a 7.75, while Allison Vote was second with a 6.6. Jensen was third with a 6.5.

Dudley also won the floor with a 7.7, while Gravenhof was third with a 7.2. Luverne’s Kynzie Smedsrud was second with a 7.5.

“I think the girls had a great time,” Reitmeier said. “It’s fun to go to Luverne, those girls are really nice and we get along well with them. It’s very fun.”

Worthington will put its perfect 4-0 conference record on the line when it travels to Pipestone Area on Friday.

Tags: sports, prep, gymnastics, trojans, luverne