Gymnastics: Gymnasts face toughest competition of year

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Early last year, the Rosemount gymnastics team beat Woodbury during an invitational meet.

However, the Royals came back to take the section title later in the season.

It’s a cautionary tale that Irish coach Jason Passeri is certainly sharing this time around.

It’s still early in the season, but Rosemount got the chance to see how it stacked up against some of the top teams in the state.

Make no mistake, the Irish are holding no illusions that what happens now will definitely be what happens later.

Last week at Eastview, though, Rosemount placed third in an elite 12-team invitational.

Roseville — the four-time defending state champions — won the event with a total of 144.4. Woodbury finished second with a 141.25, while the Irish scored a 141.2.

Section opponent Eagan was fourth, scoring a 140.05.

This season, Woodbury finished ahead of the Irish. Rosemount is hoping another reversal can take place.

“It’s basically who can hit beam and bars that day,” Passeri said. “Vault and floor are usually pretty steady. It comes down to beam and bars, and whoever can do well that day is going to win sections. Its a whole new situation at sections. This time of year has nothing to do with that. That’s a long way away.”

In the meantime, the Irish will enjoy their third-place finish last week.

“We have some tough dual meets,” Passeri said. “But that many teams, this is our toughest invite. Our goal coming in was top five. I don’t think that was a bad goal, or too low. Being in the top five is huge and we placed third.”

Rosemount also had the top team score on the floor exercise with a 37.045 total.

Katie Murgic was fourth individually on the floor with a 9.5. Tara Gottschling and Katrina Clayton tied for fifth with scores of 9.35.

With the top 10 scorers placing in each event, Katrina Clayton placed eighth on the vault with a 9.25.

She then placed third on the uneven bars with a 9.45. The first two place-winners were in the top three at the state meet last year.

On the balance beam, Katie Murgic was second with a 9.3, trailing only Roseville’s Anna Gleason, who scored a 9.5.

In the all-around, Clayton was fourth with a total of 36.75. Murgic was sixth with a 36.7.

Along with placing between section opponents Woodbury and Eagan, the Irish again beat Bloomington Jefferson in an invitational meet after a dual-meet loss earlier.

“To go 141.2 this early in the year is great” Passeri said. “There aren’t many teams scoring that high this year. We are happy with the finish.

“Thursday and Friday we didn’t have the best practices. We weren’t making anything. But the way the girls stepped up in the meet is huge.”

Tags: sports, gymnastics