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Peterson 3rd on unevens, 6th in AA at state

MINNEAPOLIS — Martin County Area Magic senior standout Bryanna Peterson closed out her prolific high school gymnastics career in style on Saturday.

Peterson, who was selected to Minnesota’s all-state elite team during Thursday night’s pre-meet awards banquet, captured a sixth-place medal in the all-around competition at Saturday’s Class A individual state meet at the University of Minnesota’s Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis.

Mahtomedi senior Kasey Lenarz produced a score of 38.6 points to win the Class A state all-around championship, while Austin senior Maddie Mullenbach captured runner-up accolades with a mark of 38.35.

Peterson generated a four-event total of 37.6 points to eclipse the 37-point scoring plateau for an incredible eighth time during the 2016-17 campaign.

“Bryanna became the Martin County Area program’s first all-arounder to earn medalist honors at the state level,” said Magic head coach LeeAnn Steen. “She also became the first gymnast in our program to capture a medal on the uneven (parallel) bars.”

Peterson produced a bronze-medalist score of 9.6 on the unevens by combining her giants with a blind change, a counter-swing and a toe-shoot dismount. Melrose Area senior Mady Brinkman, who captured fifth in the all-around competition, and Perham eighth-grader Jada Olsen each generated marks of 9.65 to share the unevens Class A state crown.

Peterson joins former Martin County West/Martin County Area gymnastics sensations Matraca Steen, Rebecca Steen and Paige Breneman as two-time individual state medalists after placing seventh on the uneven bars in 2016. Matraca Steen earned state medals on the vault and floor exercise, Rebecca Steen merited two medals on the balance beam, while Breneman garnered two state medals on the vault.

Peterson’s third-place showing on the uneven parallel bars also marks the first time since Matraca Steen’s silver-medalist finish on the floor exercise in 2010 that a Magic/Maverick gymnast has placed that high at the individual state competition.

Peterson became only the fourth gymnast in the program’s rich history to be chosen for the all-state elite team, joining Matraca Steen (twice), Sabrina Steen and Kristeena Patsche.

Peterson produced a total of 9.5 to net 11th place overall on the floor exercise during Saturday’s Class A individual competition, while generating a 9.475 with her Yurchenko on the vault for a 12th-place showing.

The Martin County Area senior standout rounded out her outstanding performance at the Sports Pavilion by posting a 9.025 on the balance beam for 14th place overall.

Mullenbach outdueled Lenarz for top honors on the floor exercise, 9.8-9.7, respectively, while Lenarz turned the tables on Mullenbach on the vault. Lenarz exited the event with a gold medal at 9.825, while Mullenbach struck silver with a 9.725.

Lenarz captured the gold medal on the balance beam via criteria after she and Detroit Lakes junior Emma Disse each generated totals of 9.55.

Disse helped guide Detroit Lakes to the Class A team state championship on Friday at the University of Minnesota’s Sports Pavilion in Minneapolis. Detroit Lakes tallied a winning team total of 151.675 to easily fend off Melrose Area’s runner-up score of 149.425.

Austin (147.175), Mahtomedi (144.375), Watertown-Mayer/Mound Westonka (143.25), Becker (142.025), Mankato West (139.025) and Worthington (138.7) rounded out the Class A state team competition, respectively.

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