TAGS Teams Start 2012 Off Strong

The TAGS South Boys and Girls Teams have started the 2012 competitive season off strong.

The Girls Level’s 7-10 teams began the season at the Gopher Invite Jan. 6 and 7 at the University of Minnesota.  The following weekend the Girls Levels 5-10 teams traveled to Des Moines, IA for the Chow’s Winter Classic Invite.  That same weekend, the Boys Levels 5-10 teams traveled to Chicago, IL for the Windy City Invitational.  

At the Gopher Invite, the Girls Level 7 Team placed second with a team score of 108.95.  On the Vault, high scores were turned in by Anna Altermatt of Farmington with a 9.05, Taylor Thorberg of Farmington with an 8.925 and Teagan Ramboldt of Eagan with an 8.90.  On the Uneven Bars, Anna Altermatt led the team with a stellar routine for third place with a score of 9.30.  Taylor Thorberg followed her with a 9.05 and Abby Schwartz of Farmington rounded out the top three with an 8.95.  At the Balance Beam, Taylor Thorberg had a solid routine for third Place with a 9.225. Abby Schwartz earned an impressive 9.05 for her routine and Sarah Wilken of Eagan placed third in the middle age division with a 9.00.  Top score for the team on floor were earned by Taylor Thorberg with a 9.25, Anna Altermatt with a 9.15 and Taylor Zoellner of Lakeville with a 9.10.  In the All Around, Taylor Thorberg posted a 36.45, Anna Altermatt was right behind her with a 35.95 and Teagan Ramboldt rounded out the top three with a 35.85.  Also competing for the Level 7 team was Kelsey Dolejs of Apple Valley.

The Levels 8, 9 and 10 teams also did well at the Gopher Invite.  Highlights include at Level 8, Olivia Larson of Lakeville finishing second on the Beam with a 9.20. Shelby Neumann of Eagan earned a season high 9.0 on the Floor Exercise.  Level 9 Sophie Harris of Minnetonka was second on the Vault with a 9.20.  Devynn Saunders of Lakeville placed fifth on the Floor with a 9.15 and earned a 9.10 on the Vault as well. At Level 10, Becca Schugel of Eagan had impressive scores of 9.125 on the Vault, 9.10 on the Beam and 9.275 on the Floor Exercise.  Bailey Walker of Edina placed third on the Vault with a 9.475 and second on the Floor with a 9.275.  Also competing for the Level 10 team was Caroline McCrady of Eagan.  

All Girls Teams, Level 5-10 traveled to the Chow’s Winter Classic Invite in Des Moines, IA.  The meet was Jan. 13-15 at the Veteran’s Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines, IA. The Level 5 Team placed third with a team total of 107.075.  Highlights include a second place finish on the Vault by Isabella Krulich of Rosemount with a score of 8.65, third Place finishes by Jenna Hegarty of Rosemount with an 8.55 and Carlie Beatty of Lakeville with an 8.975.  On the Uneven Bars, Grace Ruhl of Lakeville won the event with a season high score of 9.225! Carlie Beatty placed second with an impressive 9.05 and Abbie Swanson of Farmington was third on the Bars in her age division with an 8.65.  Beam was a solid event for the team with a second place finish by Grace Ruhl with a season high 9.30!  Sydney McGregor of Lakeville placed third on the event with an 8.70. At the Floor Exercise, Carlie Beatty had another second place finish with an 8.90. Ashley Goodlund of Lakeville finished third on the event in her age division with a 9.025.  In the All Around, Grace Ruhl was crowned champion in her age division with a season high 35.65. In other age divisions, Carlie Beatty and Abbie Swanson each placed third with scores of 35.725 and 33.775, respectively. Also competing for the Level 5 team were Chloe Beatty of Lakeville, and Abby Schoonover of Apple Valley. 

The Level 6 team was spectacular at the Chow’s Invite as they had 3 individual event champions, one all around champion and a lot of other top three finishes!  Natalie Meyer of Lakeville had her best meet of the season winning the Bars, Beam and All Around in her age division with scores of 9.00, 9.25 and 36.60, respectively. Meyer also placed second on the Vault with a 9.225 and third on the Floor with a 9.15.  Alex Barcus of Inver Grove Heights won the Balance Beam in her age division with a career high score of 9.35.  Barcus was second on the Vault with a 9.275 and second in the All Around with a 36.30.  Grace Hill of Eagan earned a career high 9.35 on the Vault for third place in her age division.  Andrea Holtz of Rosemount was second on the Vault with a career high 9.375.  Also competing for the Level 6 team were Asya Anderson of Rosemount, Macy Gilmore of Lakeville, Paige Hampsey of Lakeville, Natalie Karrmann of Cannon Falls, Ally Keehn of Farmington, Linsey Neumann of Eagan, Sofia Rischall of Lakeville and Indya Volk of Burnsville. The Level 6 team placed third at the competition with a team score of 108.525.  

At Level 7 for the Chow’s Invite, Taylor Zoellner of Lakeville won the Floor Exercise in her age division with a season high score of 9.25. Zoellner was also second All Around with a 35.275, 2nd on the Beam with an 8.70 and second on the Bars with an 8.65.  Sarah Wilken of Eagan won the Uneven Bars in her age division with a season high and impressive 9.45. Anna Altermatt of Farmington was third on the Vault in her age division with a solid 9.175. Teagan Ramboldt of Eagan finished third on the Vault, Bars and All Around in her age division with scores of 9.075, 7.975 and 33.70, respectively. Also competing for the Level 7 team were Taylor Thorberg of Farmington and Kayla Brunner of Eagan. 

At Level 8 for the Chow’s Invite, Olivia Larson of Lakeville had high scores of 9.125 on the Bars and 9.10 on the Floor. Larson was also fourth All Around with a total score of 34.575.  Shelby Neumann of Eagan earned high scores of 8.70 on the Floor and 33.10 in the All Around. At Level 9, Devynn Saunders of Lakeville won the Balance Beam with a season high score of 9.375. Saunders was fourth on the Vault with a 9.225 and third in the All Around with a36.025.  Sophie Harris of Minnetonka was third on the Vault, Bars and Floor with scores of 9.225, 9.10 and 9.20, respectively. Harris also placed fourth in the All Around with a 35.675. At Level 10, Bailey Walker of Edina won the Balance Beam with a season high 9.30. Walker also finished second on the Vault with a 9.30, third on the Floor with a 9.075 and third in the All Around with a 34.925.  Becca Schugel of Eagan was third on the Beam with a 9.275 and third on the Floor with a 9.325.  Caroline McCrady of Eagan had a high score of 9.15 on the Vault. 

The boys teams from TAGS South traveled to Chicago, IL for one of the largest men’s competitions in the USA, the Windy City Invite.  The Level 5 Boys team had five gymnasts competing in the meet.  Joshua Lamb of Apple Valley won the Still Rings with an impressive score of 14.90. Lamb also placed third on the Pommel Horse with a 13.20, second on the Parallel Bars with a 14.30, third on the High Bar with a 13.40 and fourth in the All Around with an 83.00. Other Level 5 highlights from the meet included a sixth Place finish on the Vault by Josh Lamm of Lakeville with a 14.50, a seventh-place finish on the Vault by Joel Dichter of Eagan with a 14.50, a fifth place finish on the Vault by Chris Schleicher of Apple Valley with a 14.60.  Austin Thomas of Apple Valley finished fourth on the Parallel Bars and High Bar with scores of 14.60 and 14.30 respectively. Thomas also finished eighth on the All Around with an 81.30. Zac Olsen of Lakeville was fifth on the Vault with a 14.90.  

Competing as a Level 6, Brennan Keogh of Maplewood earned high scores of 14.20 on the Vault, 13.40 on the Rings and 13.20 on the High Bar.  At Level 7, Blake Wright of Rosemount placed fourth on the Vault with a 14.70 and seventh on the Floor Exercise with a 14.60.  Noah Keogh of Maplewood earned high scores at Level 7 on the Rings with a 14.00 and the Vault with a 13.40.  At Level 10, Shashank Yallamraju of Apple Valley placed second on the Parallel Bars with a 13.55.  Yallamraju also had a 13.65 on the Vault.  Daniel Redfield of Lakeville earned high scores of 13.30 on the Vault and 13.00 on the Floor as a Level 10.  Paul Herskind of Apple Valley competed as a Level 10 as well and earned high scores of 14.00 on the Vault, 13.55 on the Floor and 13.20 on the Parallel Bars.  

The next competitions for the TAGS South Teams are the Winter Challenge Invitational in St. Paul Jan. 27-29, the Chicago Style Invite Feb. 10-12 and the Hawkeye Invite in Iowa City, IA on Feb. 10-12.