State Champs!

After finishing as the runner-up in 2009 and 2010, the second-ranked Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall gymnastics team broke through by winning the program's first WIAA Division 1 state championship in impressive fashion on Saturday at the Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln Fieldhouse.

FMOW captured the 10-team meet with a score of 144.201. Burlington/Badger/Wilmot was the runner-up at 143.817, and two-time defending champion Arrowhead was third at 143.215.

FMOW recorded the highest score in two of the four events -- 37.434 on vault and 36.750 on the balance beam.

Picking up where she left off the day before, state vault champion Lauren Zurowski scored a 9.567 in the event. The Whitnall sophomore earned an identical score en route to capturing a state title in the individual meet on Friday.

Muskego sophomore Sammie Olson (9.30), Franklin sophomore Melanie Pearson (9.30) and Muskego junior Courtney L'Huillier (9.267) also contributed to the top vault score.

On beam, Zurowski led the way with a 9.283 and Olson was right behind with a 9.267. Also competing in the event were Franklin senior Becky Schultz (9.15), Pearson (9.05) and Muskego senior Erin Honerlaw (8.783).

FMOW had the second-highest score in the floor exercise behind Arrowhead (36.883) with a 36.167. Muskego sophomore Shannon Hein earned team-high honors with a 9.10.  Zurowski (9.083) and L'Huillier (9.067) also had solid routines, while Pearson (8.917) and Olson (8.717) also competed in the event.

FMOW also had the second-highest score on the uneven bars behind Burlington/Badger/Wilmot (35.550) with a 33.850. Olson received a 9.00 from all three judges to earn team-high honors in the event. Others to compete were Honerlaw (8.40), Zurowski (8.283), Hein (8.167) and Pearson (7.90).

When the championship was announced during the regional final boys basketball game between Muskego and Franklin on Saturday at Franklin, the crowd responded with an ovation.