Addison Armstrong gets a different view of things as she competes in the floor routine at a gymnastics meet held earlier this season. Armstrong is one of many young gymnasts on the team who will be back next year looking to improve the squad’s fortunes.

The Blue Earth Area gymnastics team has brought their season to a close after their Section 2A Tournament where the team ranked nine out of nine with 118.550 points.

Mankato West took home first with a score of 140.100, while Waconia placed second with a 138.750 total. The New Ulm Public-New?Ulm Area Catholic Schools – Minnesota Valley Lutheran team placed third with a 135.075 point total, followed by Mankato East with 131.825, St. Peter with 130.425, Faribault with 127.200, Waseca with 127.050, and Glencoe-Silver Lake with 119.950.

“We were happy to be able to compete at last week’s tournament, as not all the teams were able to make it due to the weather,” says head coach Rachel Cole. “I knew going into the meet that we had a very strong section and with so many young girls on our team, there probably would not be an opportunity for any of our girls to qualify for the state tournament this season.

“However, with so many young girls, and all of them showing so much potential, this was an incredible experience for them.”

The coach says the team did not finish with their highest score of the season, but she was very happy with how the girls competed.

“We had about a three-week break prior to this which was unfortunate. I felt like our momentum was really on a roll,” says the coach. “We also had to deal with a couple of injuries. Rylan Storbeck, our third all-arounder, was not back to 100 percent from her arm injury and only competed in one event for us. During the floor warm up, which was our third event, Adrianna Reddick took a big fall and injured her knee and was unable to compete on floor and vault for us.”

Haley Kalis and Addison Armstrong came out strong in the meet. Kalis earned an 8.3 average in vault, a 6.95 in bars, a 6.825 on beam, and an 8.025 on floor, with an all-around of 30.1, while teammate Armstrong earned an 8.225 on vault, a 6.775 on bars, a 6.875 on beam, an 8.25 on floor, and an all-around of 30.125.

Arianna Nagel earned a 7.75 on the vault, while obtaining a 7.2 on bars, and a 7.3 on the beam.

Other competitors included Aubree Nagel, who earned a 7.5 on the vault, Adrianna Reddick, who earned a 6.55 on bars, Liv Haaland with a 7.45 floor routine, and Lizzy Uecker who earned 7.35 for floor as well.

“We are done for the season. We were disappointed that the weather did not cooperate with the last three weeks of our season,” says Cole. “We had a really fun season. This was my third year coaching and I would have to say this year was by far the most positive and we showed the most improvement.”

Cole goes on to say that the gymnasts are starting to get a better idea of what things are important in their routines and what to focus on to increase their scores in the future.

“The girls’ skills on bars have come a long way this season. We do need to work on our tumbling on floor and work on our vault scores before next season,” says the coach. “Our team is still very young and we are excited to see where they go in the coming years.”