Jays place a strong third

Dickinson wasn’t there, but all the other heavyweights were and the Blue Jays came away third at the 8-team Julie Ziegler Invite Friday night in Bismarck.

Highlighted by the top floor exercise score in the meet (36.375), the Blue Jays finished third overall with a score of 140.625, just behind defending state champion Minot (141.300), which was second.

“All things considered it was another pretty good day for us,” coach Dave Tews said. “All the big guys where there expect Dickinson, so to be where we were feels pretty nice.”

The Blue Jays did not have senior Ashley Kronebusch, who was sick and star junior Alex Lind did not have a typical day, although she was still third on floor (9.225) where the Blue Jays went 2-3-6.

“The kids that typically do the scoring for us had good meets. There was an event here or there where we might have been a little off, but when you look at the scoring, it was still pretty solid,” Tews said.

Mercedes Westereng finished up fifth overall with a 35.825, which included a second-place finish on the floor (9.375).

“She’s right where’s she been all along,” Tews said.

Individually, the main highlight of the meet Tews said was Carly Nelson posting a 9.4 on beam and tying for second. The Jays were on the second rotation of eight and Nelson’s 9.4 stood for a long time before Jessica Albers of Bismarck Century scored a 9.6 late.

“That was really the big one of the night for us,” Tews said. “That 9.4 stood up for a long time before that 9.6 eventually picked her off.”

Nelson also had a 9.1 on floor to place sixth.

Bismarck won the meet with a robust 145.300.

The Blue Jays, who are back in action Jan. 28 when they host Grand Forks, finished comfortably ahead of Bismarck Century’s 137.600.

Julie Ziegler Meet

At Bismarck

Team results

1, Bismarck 145.300; 2, Minot 141.300; 3, Jamestown 140.625; 4, Bismarck Century 137.600; 5, Fargo Davies 129.625; 6, Grand Forks 129.250; 7, Wahpeton 128.750; 8, Fargo South 127.875.

Individual results

(Top 8 and JHS results)

Vault

1, Mackenzie Keidel, BHS, 9.65; 2, Samantha Huether, Minot, 9.6; 3, Jessica Gabriel, BHS, 9.5; 4, Kaylee Keller, BHS, 9.45; 5, Alex Lind, JHS, 9.225; 6T, Katlin Kelley, BHS, 9.175; T6, Savannah Fix, Minot, 9.175; 8, Mercedes Westereng, JHS, 9.125.

Other JHS results

13T, Jenna Stilwell, 9.0; 16T, Erin Hillerud, 8.975; 23T, Carly Nelson, 8.65.

Bars

1, K.Keller, BHS, 9.625; 2, Jennifer Albers, Century, 9.6; 3, Keidel, BHS, 9.5; 4, Huether, Minot, 8.775; 5, K.Kelley, BHS, 8.75; 6, Nathasha Ussleman, South, 8.625; T7, Westereng, JHS, 8.575; T7, Lind, JHS, 8.575.

Other JHS results

12, Hillerud, 8.375; 21, Abbie Conlon, 7.95; 23T, Jayden Diemert, 7.85; 30T, Stilwell, 7.675.

Beam

1, Albers, Century, 9.6; 2T, K.Kelley, BHS, 9.4; 2T, Nelson, JHS, 9.4; 4, Huether, Minot, 9.25; 5, K.Keller, BHS, 9.2; 6, Keidel, BHS, 9.175; 7, Kiara Bock, Davies, 9.050; 8, Madison Reiter, Minot, 8.85.

JHS results

10, Westereng, 8.75; 17, Madison Mandan, 8.175; 18, Hillerud, 8.125; 21T, Conlon, 8.0; 24T, Lind, 7.9.

Floor

1, Keidel, BHS, 9.5; 2, Westereng, JHS, 9.375; 3, Lind, JHS, 9.225; 4, K.Keller, BHS, 9.2; 5, Gabriel, Century, 9.15; 6, Nelson, JHS, 9.1; 7, Bock, Davies, 9.075; 8T, Reiter, Minot, 9.0; 8T, Fix, Minot, 9.0.

Other JHS results

17, Hillerud, 8.675; 24T, Mandan, 8.375.

All around

1, Keidel, BHS, 37.825; 2, Keller, BHS, 37.475; 3, Albers, Century, 37.050; 4, Huether, Minot, 36.500; 5, Westereng, JHS, 35.825; 6, Kelley, BHS, 35.650; 7, Bock, Davies, 35.325; 8, Gabriel, Century, 35.050.

Other JHS results

9, Lind, 34.925; 13, Hillerud, JHS, 34.150.

Sun sports editor Dave Selvig can be reached at (701) 952-8460 or by e-mail at daves@jamestownsun.com

Tags: sports, jays, gymnastics