By Chris Bennett
Correspondent
The season came to an end Feb. 26 for the Elkhorn Area High School gymnastics team in a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division 2 sectional meet at Southwestern High School in Hazel Green.
No one on the Elks’ squad advanced from the sectional to the WIAA Division 2 state meet.
The first two teams in each of five Division 2 sectionals, plus the first five individuals in the four individual events and the first five individuals in all-around not part of one of the first two teams, advanced to state.
The WIAA Division 2 State Gymnastics Meet is Friday and Saturday at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School.
The Elks finished eighth with a team score of 114.625. Mount Horeb won the meet (134.950).
Cameron Jacobson led the Elks in each individual event and finished 10th in the all-around (31.775). Whitewater’s Kelly O’Hara won the all-around (34.850).
Jacobson finished 10th on beam (8.0). Assistant coach Amanda Lockhart said the Elks opened the meet on beam and turned in shaky performances.
O’Hara won the event (9.025). Ronica Fuller finished 28th (6.95) and Hayley Mogsensen 30th (6.9). Madison Neinfeldt finished 34th (6.35) and Leesa Sesing finished 40th (5.45).
Lockhart said Jacobson completed the season without a fall on beam. The Elks rebounded in the floor exercise after their trails on beam.
“They were able to mostly bounce back on floor, and we had some good floor scores,” Lockhart said. “Ronni and Madison, our two seniors, ended their gymnastics season with great floor routines.”
Jacobson finished 14th in the floor exercise (8.3). Platteville/Belmont/Lancaster’s Grace Hammermeister won the event (9.3). Fuller finished 23rd (8.025), Neinfeldt 30th (7.675) and Mogensen 34th (7.1).
Jacobson finished 16th on the uneven bars (7.525). Mount Horeb’s Krista Taylor won the event (8.5). Neinfeldt finished 31st (6.55) and Fuller finished 34th (5.275). Elizabeth Wills came in 37th (4.7) and Sesing 38th (4.5).
Jacobson and Neinfeldt tied for 23rd (7.95) in the vault. O’Hara won the event (8.75). Fuller finished 26th (7.85). Wills finished 36th (7.525).
Lockhart said the squad endured an uneven season, but displayed a lot of potential and worked hard to convert that potential into results.
“We have a lot of improvements that can be made for the girls returning next year,” Lockhart said. “We are sad to see our seniors move on, but we were proud of the girls this year and all they accomplished.
“We are hoping to build on what we have done this year, and have high expectations for next year.”
