The Stevens Point Area Senior High School gymnastics team took first place at the La Crosse Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 4. The team finished with 139.5 points. Second-place Eau Claire Memorial finished with 135.95.
"We beat our score from our last meet and that was one of our main goals," said Mary Olszewski, team coach. "Our team score broke the meet record, which we are very proud of."
The Panther had three of the five top finishers in the all-around competition with Raenee Bugarske finishing in first place with 35.275 points Kaity Munsey, taking second with 35.25 and Kim Klosno finishing fifth with 34.275.
Munsey placed first on the bars with Bugarske taking third. Brittania Erickson was the team's top finisher on the beam in fifth place.
The team won its other meet of the week by defeating D.C. Everest, 139.1-125.5, on Thursday, Jan. 3. "The SPASH gymnasts had a terrific meet, with nearly flawless routines on the beam and floor exercise. Our strengths are showing through," Olszewski said. "We have finally come together this year and we have nothing else to do but improve."
Bugarske finished first in the all-around competition with 35.25 points. Teammate Munsey took second with 35.175.
Nikki Cruz finished first in the beam with a score of 9.05. Munsey finished second with 8.95 and Bugarske third with 8.775.
In the floor exercise, Munsey took first with 9.15, Bugarske, second, with 9.1 and Cruz, third, with 8.625.
Munsey took second in the parallel bars with 8.675 and Bugarske finished third with 8.625.
In the vault Bugarske was the top Panther, in second place, with 8.7. Klosno finished third with 8.55.