By Jennifer Eisenbart
Sports editor
It may have been a record-setting afternoon for the Burlington/Badger/Wilmot gymnastics team at the Spartan Invite in Madison Saturday, but it wasn’t exactly like the squad was paying that close of attention.
In fact, BBW head coach Diane Biedrzycki didn’t even know what the meet’s team record was until it was brought up in the coach’s meeting.
“I forget that there are those things in high school,” the coach said. “It was fun.”
After a frustrating first two rotations, BBW settled down over the last half of the meet to post a 145.925 team score – breaking the previous meet record of 144.050 set by Westosha in 2002 – to win the meet’s Green Division.
Madison Memorial won the White Division with a score of 131.425, with all-arounder Caroline Smith tying the meet’s all-around record with a 37.325.
Franklin/Muskego/Whitnall/Oak Creek finished with a season-high 144.775 for second, while Waunakee/DeForest was third with a 137.85.
“We finished well, but it wasn’t a solid meet all-around,” Biedrzycki said. “I’m kind of happy with the result, but know we still have a lot of work to do.”
Still, BBW posted the meet’s second-best vault score (36.15) even in counting a fall, and the meet’s best uneven bars score (35.775) with more mistakes.
The squad then hit 5-for-5 on the balance beam to blow the rest of the field out of the water. The total of 36.6 was a season high for BBW and close to a point ahead of Frankego (35.775).
BBW then posted a 37.4 on the floor to Frankego’s 37.05 to clinch the meet.
The counted fall on the vault came from super frosh Bailey Fitzpatrick, who rolled her foot in warmups and then scored just an 8.725.
She rebounded by tying for the uneven bars title with sister Jenna (twin 9.55s), scored a 9.1 on the beam and won floor with a 9.60 to take the all-around with a 36.975 total.
“She’s just such a tough cookie,” Biedrzycki said. “She’s a fierce competitor. Even though her foot was hurting, I think it more or less made her mad.
“She wasn’t about to let it determine her day.”
Molly Benavides posted a 9.475 to win the vault, tied for third on floor with teammate Michelle Dankle with a score of 9.425, finished second on beam with a 9.20 and fifth in the all-around (36.175).
The beam sets by the team were the highlight of the meet, with Kerry Leonard winning the event with a 9.375 – the first major invitational title Biedrzycki could remember for her senior.
“I don’t know that Kerry’s ever won a meet title,” the coach explained. “She felt good. Just a good confidence boost for her.”
In addition to sweeping the top three places, Jenna Fitzpatrick led off with an 8.925 that held up for eighth place, while Dankle also hit and scored an 8.775.
The top 10 on each event were recognized with award, which meant Robynanne Scheuerman’s seventh on vault (9.00) and Alice Gordon’s eighth on the same event (8.95) were honored.
BBW is home tonight against Westosha/Union Grove for its Parents Night meet.
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