JUST A SWINGIN’ — Martin County Area’s Lillie Schultz swings out of a long-hang kip during her unevens routine at Saturday’s Magic Invite at Live Fit Sport & Wellness Center. Magic teammate Abi Chavez looks on. (Photo by Greg Abel)

FAIRMONT — Martin County Area’s gymnasts opened the New Year with a new season-high dual-meet score to collect runner-up honors to Austin during the five-team Wild, Wild Magic Invitational on Saturday.

Kiki Rodriguez struck gold on both the vault and uneven parallel bars to pace her second-place all-around total of 35.6 to steer the Packers to top team accolades with a score of 134.825 at Live Fit Sport & Wellness Center in Fairmont.

Hannah Cole and Lillie Schultz packed all-around scoring punch by capturing third (34.775) and fifth (33.45), respectively, to engineer MCA’s second-place team total of 133.125.

Addison Armstrong garnered fourth place in the all-around competition with a 34.175 to top Blue Earth Area’s fifth-place team score of 125.65.

“I think the holiday break was good for us. We worked on some new skills and showcased a few of them today and it helped us raise the bar on our season-high score,” said Magic head coach Anne Post. “Hannah added a toe-shoot to her bars routine and it added some tenths (of a point) there.”

Cole transitioned from the low to high bar with her newly-implemented maneuver before swinging a pair of giants on the high bar to highlight a third-place total of 8.55.

Armstrong joined Cole on the medals stand by claiming fourth overall on the unevens with an 8.15-scored routine, while BEA teammate Tailor Douglas pocketed fifth place on the piece with an 8.025.

Rodriguez produced top honors on the unevens with an 8.95, while Magic Invite all-around champion Layla Keith of Waseca generated a second-place mark of 8.6.

Keith, who won the all-around crown with a 35.8, also earned gold on the floor by outdueling MCA’s Schultz, 9.475-9.025.

Schultz turned a one-and-a-half to cap her initial tumbling run, while adding precision front tumbling during her second pass.

Cole twisted a double to cap her first run to net fourth on the floor (8.975) behind Rodriguez’s bronze-medal effort (9.0), while Armstrong took sixth with an 8.825.

Abi Chavez and Jadyn Montgomery each eclipsed the 8-point barrier on the floor for MCA by scoring an 8.675 and an 8.2.

Cole literally elevated her level of athleticism off the vault table by planting a piked Tsuk for a runner-up score of 9.325 behind Rodriguez’s winning 9.4 for Austin.

Armstrong paced BEA on the vault with a third-place total of 8.95, while teammate Addison Olson shared sixth place at 8.7.

Jackson County Central’s Clara Brinks then earned gold on the balance beam via the superior judge’s score over Waseca’s Keith after each gymnast netted an 8.975.

Schultz powered MCA’s performance on the beam by nailing down third place with an 8.65, while Armstrong netted a tie for sixth with Waseca’s Bella Wikan with an 8.25.

Chavez finished with an all-around score of 32.025 for the Magic, while Addison Olson chipped in a 31.375 for the Bucs.

Martin County Area plays host to New Ulm and Windom at 6 p.m. Friday at Live Fit Sport & Wellness Center in Fairmont.

Blue Earth Area plays host to St. Peter on Thursday night.

MCA WILD, WILD INVITE

Team Results: 1. Austin 134.825; 2. Martin Co. Area 133.125; 3. Waseca 129.925; 4. Jackson Co. Central 125.9; 5. Blue Earth Area 125.65.

Individual Results

(Top 6 Medal)

All-Around: 1. Layla Keith (WAS) 35.8; 2. Kiki Rodriguez (AU) 35.6; 3. Hannah Cole (MCA) 34.775; 4. Addison Armstrong (BEA) 34.175; 5. Lillie Schultz (MCA) 33.45; 6. Katelynn Klouse (AU) 32.85.

Other Area Scores: Abi Chavez (MCA) 32.025; Addison Olson (BEA) 31.375.

Vault: 1. Kiki Rodriguez (AU) 9.4; 2. Hannah Cole (MCA) 9.325; 3. Addison Armstrong (BEA) 8.95; 4. Payton Gilmer (AU) 8.85; 5. Layla Keith (WAS) 8.75; T6. Katelynn Klouse (AU) and Addison Olson (BEA) 8.7s.

Other Area Scores: Jadyn Montgomery (MCA) 8.55; Lillie Schultz (MCA) 8.45; Abi Chavez (MCA) 8.45; Tailor Douglas (BEA) 8.45; Ava Thate (MCA) 8.25; Lauren Survis (BEA) 8.1; Taylynn Amundson (BEA) 7.9.

Unevens: 1. Kiki Rodriguez (AU) 8.95; 2. Layla Keith (WAS) 8.6; 3. Hannah Cole (MCA) 8.55; 4. Addison Armstrong (BEA) 8.15; 5. Tailor Douglas (BEA) 8.025; 6. Katelynn Klouse (AU) 8.025.

Other Area Scores: Abi Chavez (MCA) 7.725; Jadyn Montgomery (MCA) 7.7; Natalie Griffey (BEA) 7.35; Lillie Schultz (MCA) 7.325; Addison Olson (BEA) 7.325; Ava Thate (MCA) 7.15; Lauren Survis (BEA) 7.025.

Beam: 1. Clara Brinks (JCC) 8.975 (by superior judge score); 2. Layla Keith (WAS) 8.975; 3. Lillie Schultz (MCA) 8.65; 4. Juliette Zimmerli (AU) 8.6; 5. Kiki Rodriguez (AU) 8.25; T6. Bella Wikan (WAS) and Addison Armstrong (BEA) 8.25s.

Other Area Scores: Nola Thedens (MCA) 7.95; Hannah Cole (MCA) 7.925; Avery Steuber (MCA) 7.65; Tailor Douglas (BEA) 7.225; Abi Chavez (MCA) 7.175; Addison Olson (BEA) 7.0; Lauren Survis (BEA) 5.3; Rachel Sohn (BEA) 5.225.

Floor: 1. Layla Keith (WAS) 9.475; 2. Lillie Schultz (MCA) 9.025; 3. Kiki Rodriguez (AU) 9.0; 4. Hannah Cole (MCA) 8.975; 5. Reese Norton (AU) 8.925; 6. Addison Armstrong (BEA) 8.825.

Other Area Scores: Abi Chavez (MCA) 8.675; Addison Olson (BEA) 8.35; Jadyn Montgomery (MCA) 8.2; Kyannah Brandt (BEA) 7.9; Nola Thedens (MCA) 7.85; Taylynn Amundson (BEA) 7.75; Lauren Survis (BEA) 7.35.