Allison Fajt – Staff Writer

This weekend the Gustavus gymnastics team tumbled their way into 7th place at the WIAC/NCGA West Regional. The team competed in five different events earning a score of 184.8.
“We actually had our highest team score of the season at this meet but I mean it didn’t necessarily show compared to the other teams, but for us personally we had a really good meet and we pulled all of our events together,” Junior Emma Esteb said.
“We actually had our highest team score of the season… for us personally we had a really good meet and we pulled all of our events together.”

The competition lasted all throughout Saturday. Each gymnast competed their fiercest in order to rack up points for their team.
“Basically it’s this big gymnastics party in the sense that everyone is going at the same time and the biggest thing for this meet is it counts to go to nationals as well so it’s more of a qualification meet, it’s kinda the last hurrah,” Senior Brooke Merila said.
Competing at Regionals for the Gusties were First-years Olivia Jahnke and Lily Horsch, Sophomores Izzy Breitkreutz, Katy Cash, Caylee Greeder, Kendra Smaby, and Abby Willis, Juniors Jenna Griffith and Esteb, Seniors Sophia Redding and Merila. Each gymnast had an important role to play on the team, whether it was competing or cheering on their teammates from the sidelines.
“We have a lot of team rituals that we do, for each meet we have certain girls that are in charge of motivation. Our teammate Brooke gives little pep talks before everyone competes just to get us in the zone and give us confidence to perform well and obviously just cheering each other on and keeping the energy up throughout a meet is super important,” Redding said.
For vault the team had a combined score of 47.375. Redding had the highest vault score of the team 9.700 placing her 7th in the event. Redding also received the highest score on the team for uneven parallel bars with a score of 9.475. The team’s overall bar score ended up 45.525.
“I actually did not have the best performance of my season but the way that I had made it to nationals was based on my SAS average rankings from regular season. I still put up a good score, I made a few uncharacteristic mistakes but overall I was really proud of how it went,” Redding said.
Esteb stuck the landing on the balance beam scoring 9.325 giving her the highest beam score for the Gusties. First-year Marley Michaud followed her score closely behind with 9.050 points. The black and gold’s beam score resulted in a total of 44.900 points.
“I had a good meet, I only do three events, and it is a little bit more pressure knowing that five scores have to count so there was some more pressure in that aspect but I think as a team we did really well and as an individual I was pretty happy with how I did too,” Esteb said.
In the floor exercise event the team’s total was 47.000. Merila’s and Griffith’s routines both earned a matching score of 9.450. The two placed the highest out of the Gusties for the event.
Merila was a shining star at Regionals. She placed 6th in the All-Around category. Her 9.375 vault score, 8.950 bar score, 8.975 beam and 9.450 floor score added up to a score of 36.750. Merila was also awarded the Judy Kruckman Women’s Gymnastics Scholar-Athlete Award by the WIAC.
“For me personally it was one of probably the best meets I’ve ever had, I was able to kinda put together all the events that I do and just knowing it counts more than ever just because I am a senior. It was really exciting to see all those pieces come together and I have the most amazing teammates so having that support makes it so much better,” Merila said.
Both Merila and Redding will compete in the National tournament later this March.
“My biggest goal this year was to make it to nationals so fulfilling that was just kinda the best thing that could’ve happened.I want to soak it all in, it’s the cherry on top of my last season, especially going with Brooke too makes it super worth it. With all the hard work, all the setbacks and injuries and what not, I want to enjoy it and go off on a high note,” Redding said.