By David Paulsen
SPORTS CORRESPONDENT
Competing in three meets in five days took a toll on the Waterford High School gymnastics squad in a 126.325 to 115.275 loss Monday to Elkhorn in Southern Lakes Conference action at home.
The loss dropped Waterford’s conference record to 2-2.
“I think they were tired,” head coach Carrie Buelow said of her squad. “They still held it together.”
In addition, the Wolverines top gymnast – Grace Kubiak – was unable to compete due to illness.
“She usually has the high score in every event,” Buelow said.
Elkhorn had 13 of the top 15 placewinners.
For Waterford, Ambria Noll placed second in the floor exercise with a season-high score of 8.700.
“Ambria had a great floor routine,” Buelow noted.
Noll finished fourth in the all-around with a score of 30.350.
Kailee Helget finished third in the vault with an 8.050.
At the Madison Memorial Spartan Invitational Saturday, Waterford finished fifth in the White Division with 126.225 points.
“Saturday was our best performance of the year,” Buelow said. “Everybody was on. Everybody had major improvement.”
The highlight for the Wolverines was placing four gymnasts in the top 10 in the floor exercise. All four received medals.
“That was huge for us,” Buelow added.
As a team, Waterford placed first in the floor exercise with an overall score of 34.275. Kubiak was second with a 9.075; Noll sixth with an 8.575; Sam Jahnke ninth with an 8.350 and Helget 10th with an 8.275. Noll’s and Jahnke’s scores were both season bests.
Kubiak also finished second in the balance beam with a 9.050, second in the vault with a 9.250, and third in the uneven bars with an 8.450. She was second overall with a 35.825.
Helget had a season best on the bars.
The Wolverines got their second conference win Jan. 26 at Jefferson. The girls tallied 120.875 points to Jefferson’s 111.975.
Even though Waterford won the meet, Buelow noted that everyone on the team had a fall or bobble that they normally did not have.
“It was kind of an off day,” Buelow said.
Kubiak won all four events, plus the all-around competition.
Waterford took first and second places in the beam, and first and third in the other three events.
Ambria Noll had a season best on the beam, while Helget on season bests on the beam and the all-around.
Waterford hosted Milton on Thursday in a non-conference meet.
Next week, they will be at Westosha Central on Thursday, Feb. 9.
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