WEST SALEM — As her team began its final rotation, West Salem co-op gymnastics coach Carrie O’Hearn understood the challenge it faced.
Those competing for the Panthers, on the other hand, did not.
O’Hearn knew her team was in fifth place as it stepped to the balance beam in a WIAA Division 1 sectional at West Salem High School on Saturday. Only the top two teams were going to qualify for the state meet in Wisconsin Rapids next weekend, and the Panthers had their work cut out to be one of them.
“They were oblivious (to the situation),” O’Hearn said. “They’d been rocking the beam all year.
“I’d walk into practice and yell ‘Beam team!’ and they’d yell back ‘Beam team!’ And they went out, one after another and killed it.”
West Salem, which also includes Aquinas and Bangor, jumped three opponents during its best event and finished with a score of 140.625 to beat third-place Hudson (140.575) by 0.05 and continue its string of state appearances.
The Panthers have been Division 2 state qualifiers the past three years — with runner-up finishes the past two — but they will compete as a Division 1 unit for the first time next weekend.
“We were promoted to Division 1,” O’Hearn said. “Who would have thought that little old West Salem co-op would be able to compete at the other end of the gym at state. We knew this was going to be tough, but this is my proudest coaching moment.”
Kennedy Garbers had a 9.05 and Grace Olson an 8.925. Olivia Maki checked in at 8.8 and Camdyn Lyga at 8.6.
It put the Panthers over the top and gave them a score that was higher than anyone but champion Chippewa Falls co-op (146.95).
“We started on floor, and that has not been a strong event, but they know that,” O’Hearn said. “It went okay, not fantastic. Vault was pretty good but not our strongest of the year.
“At bars, we started to pick up momentum with two (individual) state qualifiers. The beam team was rock solid.”
Team competition at Wisconsin Rapids takes place March 7 and individual competition on March 8. After two events, O’Hearn wondered if qualifying for Friday was still in play, but an experienced group that knew nothing about finishing a season without competing for a title made it happen.
Garbers was West Salem’s top performer all-around with a 35.5, and that was good for 10th overall.
Hayden Rohde (8.95) and Garbers (8.9) provided that initial burst of momentum with fourth-and fifth-place performances on the uneven bars — the top five all-around and in each individual category advance — and set things up for O’Hearn’s beam team.
“We never stress individuals,” O’Hearn said. “On Friday, we went around and asked everyone what they wanted to accomplish (Saturday), and they all said qualify as a team and make it for bar or for vault or their best event. All of them started with qualifying as a team, and that right there is a proud coach moment.”
Holmen had the excitement of a huge day from senior Katie Lange, who was third all-around (36.1) and was the only non-Chippewa finisher among the top five.
Lange won the floor exercise (9.575) and was third on the uneven bars (9.125), making her an individual qualifier in all three categories.
The Vikings were fifth as a team (139.55).
Logan/Central, which had a team score of 125.075 and placed seventh, also has an individual state qualifier in Danika Parnell. She will compete in the vault after a second-place finish and score of 9.4.
DIVISION 2
Wisconsin Rapids Sectional
WISCONSIN RAPIDS — Onalaska co-op senior Eva Dryer had a big Friday and will be busy during individual competition at the state meet next weekend.
Dryer placed second on the vault (9.15), tied for third on the balance beam (8.65) and was fifth on the floor exercise (9.325). Those scores also helped place her fourth overall all-around (35.1), and she will compete in all of those at state.
Onalaska’s co-op placed fourth as a team with a score of 134.05 in a meet that was won by the G-E-T co-op (136.75).
