Peterson fuels MCA’s 3rd-place finish at section
WINDOM — The final margin of victory in the team portion of the Section 3A gymnastics meet proved a miniscule seventy-five hundredths of a point on Saturday.
The Class A, No. 7-ranked Worthington Trojans eked out a 142.575-142.5 victory over the No. 14-rated Jackson County Central Huskies to capture the sectional team crown and earn a second consecutive trip to Friday’s state team meet at 11 a.m. Friday at the University of Minnesota’s Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis.
Individually, however, it was a completely different scenario as Martin County Area senior standout Bryanna Peterson sent the judges’ scorecards soaring into the stratosphere early and often.
Peterson produced a school record-setting all-around total of 38.425 points — breaking the mark of 38.275 that she established in last Saturday’s Big South Conference’s Final Four — to flatten the talent-laden sectional individual competition by more than 2 points in Windom.
Peterson delivered a dominating four-event performance to exit the nine-team sectional with five gold medals and five bids to next Saturday’s 11 a.m. Class A individual state meet at the Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis.
Peterson, who engineered the Magic’s third-place sectional showing of 139.85 points, literally floored all rivals during the second team rotation of the day.
Peterson tightly turned her double-back to cap her initial tumbling pass to highlight her first-place routine of 9.625 to pace MCA’s team total of 35.225.
“I think it was a good draw to open on the floor as Bryanna was able to maintain her energy and focus throughout a routine filled with some big and difficult skills,” said Magic head coach LeeAnn Steen, whose lineup converted its season-best score into a 5.1-point margin over fourth-place Hendricks/Russell-Tyler-Ruthton’s 134.75. “I thought she did a great job of holding her form on all four pieces (of equipment) throughout the entire meet.”
Eighth-grader Sabrina Segar contributed an 8.85-scored floor performance to MCA’s team mark, followed by junior Brielle Meade (8.5), senior Cara Behrends (8.25) and eighth-grader Sady Ringnell (8.0), respectively.
“All of our girls did an excellent job as we accomplished one of our goals by peaking at the right time of the season today,” said Steen. “I was proud of the way that our five seniors performed, too. Every one of them hit their routines to the best of the abilities, and that’s why we were able to score our season-high.”
Peterson and MCA then rotated to the vault and generated a 35.55.
Peterson hit the vault table perfectly, elevated and stuck her Yurchenko’s landing to strike gold on the event with a score of 9.6 out of the Magic’s anchor spot.
Senior Jenna Steele twisted her handspring full and delivered a firm landing to earn an 8.9 for MCA, while sophomore Maiya Dietz produced an 8.7 off of the vault table. Segar and Meade contributed an 8.35 and an 8.05, respectively, to round out the Magic’s vault effort.
Peterson then chalked up the sectional meet’s No. 1 score by earning a winning mark of 9.7 on the uneven parallel bars.
The MCA senior sensation displayed her strength and finesse by turning and stopping straight-legged giants en route to a toe-shoot display to leave her rivals in the dust.
Senior Andrea Thate netted an 8.425 to place second in the Magic’s unevens rotation, while Dietz contributed an 8.35. Senior Maggie Bachenberg delivered an 8.0-scored effort, while Segar added a 7.825 performance.
Peterson put the finishing touches on her once-in-a-lifetime historic performance by executing connecting back handsprings on the balance beam before planting her standing back tuck to earn a gold-medal score of 9.5.
Meade contributed MCA’s second-best total of 8.675, Steele supplied an 8.3, Dietz chipped in an 8.125, while seventh-grader Ellie Schultze added a 7.95.
“I’ve coached this sport a long time, and I can’t remember a section meet’s final outcome being as close as it was today,” said Steen.
Worthington all-arounders Taylor Eggers and Maria Contreras, who captured third (36.3) and sixth (35.8), respectively, fended off Jackson County Central’s Abby Schneekloth and Brooklyn Schuett — second (36.35) and fifth (36.0), respectively, in the all-around — by less than a tenth of a point to defend their sectional team crown.
The Trojans edged the Huskies on the vault (36.425-35.975) and uneven bars (34.55-34.15), while JCC turned the tables on Worthington on the beam (35.7-35.15) and floor (36.675-36.45) to leave the capacity crowd waiting anxiously for the final team tallies.
Hendricks/RTR’s Greta Johnson earned a 36.15 in the all-around to pocket the fourth and final individual state-qualifying bid.
Schneekloth, Eggers and Greta Johnson each posted scores of 9.375 to join Peterson in next Saturday’s Class A individual vault competition, while Contreras (8.85), Eggers (8.775) and Schneekloth (8.725) will add scoring punch to Peterson’s unevens performance.
Hannah Stevenson captured Redwood Valley’s lone state bid by outdueling Worthington specialist Gracia Elias for the silver medal on the beam via criteria after both netted 9.025s. Schneekloth, who fended off JCC teammate Hailey Handevidt and Contreras for the fourth and final beam state berth, will join Peterson, Stevenson and Elias in Minneapolis.
Greta Johnson (9.45), Schuett (9.425) and Eggers (9.3) followed Peterson on the floor, respectively, and the fearsome foursome will take to the University of Minnesota’s equipment in five days.
2017 Section 3A Meet
Team Standings (Champion advance to state): 1. Worthington 142.575; 2. Jackson County Central 142.5; 3. Martin County Area 139.85; 4. Hendricks/Russell-Tyler-Ruthton 134.75; 5. Luverne 133.025; 6. Redwood Valley 132.575; 7. Windom/Mountain Lake 124.075; 8. Marshall 119.775; 9. Pipestone Area 116.375.
Individual Results
(Top 4 advance to state; top 6 medal)
All-Around: 1. Bryanna Peterson (MCA) 38.425; 2. Abby Schneekloth (JCC) 36.35; 3. Taylor Eggers (WOR) 36.3; 4. Greta Johnson (HRTR) 36.15; 5. Brooklyn Schuett (JCC) 36.0; 6. Maria Contreras (WOR) 35.8.
Vault: 1. Peterson (MCA) 9.6; 2. (by criteria) Schneekloth (JCC) 9.375; 3. (by criteria) Eggers (WOR) 9.375; 4. G. Johnson (HRTR) 9.375; 5. McKenna Prunty (WOR) 9.35; 6. Schuett (JCC) 9.25.
Other MCA scores: Jenna Steele 8.9; Maiya Dietz 8.7; Sabrina Segar 8.35; Brielle Meade 8.05.
Unevens: 1. Peterson (MCA) 9.7; 2. Contreras (WOR) 8.85; 3. Eggers (WOR) 8.775; 4. Schneekloth (JCC) 8.725; 5. Madison Schandelmeier (LUV) 8.65; 6. G. Johnson (HRTR) 8.625.
Other MCA scores: Andrea Thate 8.425; Dietz 8.35; Maggie Bachenberg 8.0; Segar 7.825.
Balance Beam: 1. Peterson (MCA) 9.5; 2. (by criteria) Hannah Stevenson (RV) 9.025; 3. Gracia Elias (WOR) 9.025; 4. (by criteria) Schneekloth (JCC) 8.975; 5. (by criteria) Contreras (WOR) 8.975; 6. Hailey Handevidt (JCC) 8.975.
Other MCA scores: Meade 8.675; Jenna Steele 8.3; Dietz 8.125; Ellie Schultze 7.95.
Floor Exercise: 1. Peterson (MCA) 9.625; 2. G. Johnson (HRTR) 9.45; 3. Schuett (JCC) 9.425; 4. Eggers (WOR) 9.3; 5. (tie) Schneekloth (JCC) and Contreras (WOR) 9.275s.
Other MCA scores: Sabrina Segar 8.85; Brielle Meade 8.5; Cara Behrends 8.25; Sady Ringnell 8.0.
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