WISCONSIN RAPIDS - The Stevens Point Area Senior High gymnastics program has its first state champion.
Senior Kimberly Jo Barden captured the school's first individual title last Friday, winning the balance beam at the WIAA Individual Competition. Barden received a score of 9.383 compared to runner-up Michelle Fritsch of Sheboygan South/North score of 9.267. D.C. Everest's Gretchen Hartwig (9.250) was third while Melissa Marsack of Homestead (9.183) and Britni Biltz (9.183) of West Allis Hale/Central were fourth and fifth, respectively.
"I was really surprised," said Barden, who finished third in the event at sectionals a week earlier with an 8.9 score. "It felt really, really good. I'm pretty proud of myself."
Barden has used the same balance beam routine all season. It includes four bonuses - three different jumps and a dismount. The jumps are a straddle-half jump, a straddle three-quarters jump and a wolf three-quarters jump. Her dismount is a brani-full.
"I knew her routine was tough enough," SPASH coach Mary Olszewski said. "You never know what the other girls are going to have.
"She has a lot of difficulty in her routine. She stuck it and it was clean."
Barden said her routine has improved since the start of the season, especially since her mid-January return from a November shoulder injury.
Since the WIAA began sponsoring a state gymnastics tournament in 1971, no SPASH gymnast had ever won an individual championship. In fact, the highest finish in individual competition, prior to Barden's win, were four fourth place finishes. Lyn Picconatto was fourth in the uneven bars in 1993 and 1990 while Dawn Shuda finished fourth in the all-around in 1985 and fourth in vaulting in 1984.
Fellow SPASH senior Tracy Knippel competed in the floor exercise, finishing 14th with an 8.717 score. Genna Dewoskin of Madison Memorial won the event with a score of 9.333.
"Her routine was good," Olszewski said. "I don't think there was enough difficulty."