Mitchell gymnastics tops standings at Lolly Forseth Invite
Dec. 5—SIOUX FALLS — Two events, two wins for Mitchell High School gymnastics in the season's first week of competition.
After defeating Yankton in a dual on Nov. 28, the Kernels backed it up with another victory in the 11-team Lolly Forseth Invite on Saturday at Sioux Falls Jefferson High School. The Kernels scored 144.1 points, up from their season-debut mark of 143.400, in the win, as defending state team champion O'Gorman (142.800) and Harrisburg (142.450) rounded out the top three.
Mitchell's best event score came on the floor with 36.75 points, but the bulk of the Kernels' winning margin was created on the bars, as a score of 34.85 was a full point clear of the next-best team in the event. The Kernels posted matching 36.25 marks on the beam and vault.
As was the case in Mitchell's earlier dual, Olivia Prunty finished with the team's top all-around score (36.700), which ranked second overall in the competition to O'Gorman's Audrey Meyer (36.900). Close behind Prunty, Kyanna Gropper (36.400) and Kyra Gropper (36.150) also had top-four individual finishes.
On the bars, Prunty (9.100) claimed the top individual spot, with Kyanna Gropper (8.850) in a tie for second and Kyra Gropper (8.800) in fourth.
Kyra Gropper (9.350) was the Kernels' top finisher on the beam, checking in behind the O'Gorman duo of Maeve Boetel (9.650) and Meyer (9.500). Prunty and Sidney Maide both posted marks of 9.000, which tied them for 12th in the event.
Kyanna Gropper (9.450) and Watertown's Tai Engels tied for fourth on the floor. Meyer (9.650) won the event with the Harrisburg pair of Meredith Hruby (9.600) and Kiah Boetel (9.500) coming in second and third.
Meyer (9.600) also won the vault, followed by Prunty (9.300) and Kyanna Gropper (9.200). Tessa Allen (8.900) was Mitchell's next top finisher, with a top-seven mark, and Emily Moody and Kyra Gropper were part of a four-way tie for eighth in the event at 8.850.
Mitchell competes next at 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, hosting a home quad against O'Gorman, Pierre and Yankton.
