Saturday caps off two 'fun' gymnastics meets for Blue Jays

JAMESTOWN — Jamestown High School head gymnastics coach, Bre Carlson, didn't really know what was going on with her team this weekend.

But whatever it was, the first-year head coach was a big fan.

"What fun meets," Carlson said. "I am not sure if it’s because we were at home or if the girls are becoming more confident in their skills but they seemed to keep their nerves at bay and were able to relax, enjoy the meet and show off what they are capable of.

"It can be really challenging to give 110% two days in a row," she said. "The girls did just that, and were able to pull off some of our top team and individual scores of the season. This is also one of the first meets we have been at full force. We have been plagued with illness and injury these past few weeks but everyone seems to be staying healthy now — fingers crossed."

The Blue Jays wrapped up a two-meet weekend on Saturday. The Jays finished first on Saturday, scoring a huge 140.200. Jamestown hosted Wahpeton/Breckenridge on Friday evening. The Jays earned their highest score of the season on Friday, scoring a massive 143.05 which eclipsed Wahpeton/Breckenridge by almost 13 points.

The Blue Jays are off from competing next week but will resume competition on February 10, hosting Fargo. The meet is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m.

"Friday was senior night for us and senior Sydney Fisher had her best meet of the season so far," Carlson said. "She has been battling with an injury from the first meet this year and was finally able to bounce back and compete all of her events."

Fisher tied for second on floor Friday, notching a huge 9.450. She was also the Jays' second-best on vault, launching herself to an 8.900 to get the third-best score overall.

Fisher wasn't the only senior who had a career-type day.

"Senior Emma Hillerud had the highest floor score of the night and earned the highest bar score of her career," Carlson said.

Hillerud was 0.500 points away from a perfect 10.0 on floor. Her 8.850 on bars placed her second overall on Friday.

The Blue Jay seniors weren't the only ones tasting success this weekend.

"Eighth grader Jozie Davis really nailed all four of her events and was able to place fourth in the all-around," Carlson said. "Eighth grader Lucy Falk has really been a rock for us on beam and was able to place second on beam."

All that momentum carried right over into Saturday.

"Today was parents' night for us," Carlson said. "It was great to have all the parents packing the bleachers cheering on the team. It certainly made for a great atmosphere."

Allysah Larson must have fed on all that energy.

Larson had a career-high all-around score and was able to take second with an overall score of 35.250.

"She actually placed in the top three in all of her events," Carlson said. "She is one of our hardest workers and it’s really nice to see things come together for her."

Carlson and the Jays are nearing the end of the 2022-23 gymnastics season, with just three weeks remaining.

"From here on out, it is varsity meets only and we are fortunate enough this year to have 90% of our team continuing on as state qualifiers as long as the rankings don’t change too much in the upcoming weeks," Carlson said.

If the rankings hold, the Jays will bring 13 of their athletes to the 2023 state meet.

"I’m not sure we’ve ever brought 13 kids to state as qualifiers so that’s pretty exciting," Carlson said. "Us coaches are very excited to see what the next few weeks hold."

Jamestown Travel Meet

Jan. 27

Team scores

Jamestown 143.05; Wahpeton/Breckenridge 130.85

Top finishers / Blue Jay results

Vault: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 9.200; 3. Sydney Fisher 8.900; 5. Jozie Davis 8.850; 5. Sutton Van Gilder 8.850; 8. Allysah Larson 8.700; 9. Emma Hillerud 8.600; 10. Baynx Kirschenmann 8.350; 11. Lucy Falk 8.300; 13. McKenna Pettys 8.200; 14. Jasmine Houmann 8.100.

Beam: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 9.400; 2. Falk 8.800; 3. Larson 8.700; 4. Hillerud 8.250; 4. Davis 8.250; 8. Van Gilder 7.900; 8. Fisher 7.900; 12. McKenna Pettys 7.100; 14. Kirschenmann 6.500.

Floor: 1. Emma Hillerud, JHS, 9.500; 2. Skari 9.450; 2. Fisher 9.450; 5. Larson 9.300; 7. Pettys 9.000; 10. Houmann 8.500; 12. Van Gilder 8.250; 13. Kirschenmann 7.950; 14. Falk 7.200.

Uneven bars: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 9.000; 2. Hillerud 8.850; 3. Van Gilder 8.300; 4. Aubrey Krapp 8.250; 5. Larson 8.100; 6. Lydia Stoterau 7.950; 8. Falk 7.700; 9. Pettys 7.650; 11. Davis 7.500; 13. Fisher 7.000; 14. Kirschenmann 6.950; 15. Houmann 6.900.

All-Around: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 37.050; 2. Hillerud 35.200; 3. Larson 34.800; 4. Davis 33.700; 6. Van Gilder 33.300; 7. Fisher 33.250; 10. Falk 32.000; 11. Pettys 31.950; 13. Houmann 30.050; 14. Kirschenmann 29.750; 16. Krapp 8.250; 17. Stoterau 7.950.

Hillerud Construction Meet

Jan. 28

Team scores

1. Jamestown 140.200; 2. Grand Forks 128.850; 3. Aberdeen Central 128.700; 4. Fargo 125.050

Top finishers / Blue Jay results

Vault: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 9.300; 2. Sydney Fisher 8.850; 3. Allysah Larson 8.800; 4. Jozie Davis 8.750; 5. Sutton Van Gilder 8.700; 5. Jasmine Houmann 8.700; 7. Blair Arbuckle 8.650; 11. Emma Hillerud 8.500; 15. Baynx Kirschenmann 8.350; 18. Lucy Falk 8.200; 28. McKenna Pettys 7.800; 30. Anna Roemmich 7.600.

Beam: 1. Emma Hillerud, JHS, 9.250; 2. Larson 9.050; 3. Skari 9.000; 7. Davis 8.200; 11. Houmann 7.75; 13. Fisher 7.700; 14. Roemmich 7.650; 19. Falk 7.450; 23. Kirschenmann 7.250; 24. Arbuckle 7.150; 27. Van Gilder 6.850; 29. Pettys 6.600.

Floor: 1. Taryn Swanson, GF, 9.050; 2. Arbuckle 8.850; 3. Larson 8.800; 4. Houmann 8.750; 5. Fisher 8.700; 6. Hillerud 8.650; 6. Skari 8.650; 8. Davis 8.600; 12. Pettys 8.400; 18. Van Gilder 8.050; 20. Kirschenmann 8.000; 26. Roemmich 7.150.

Uneven bars: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 8.850; 2. Larson 8.600; 5. Hillerud 8.250; 7. Lydia Stoterau 8.200; 8. Van Gilder 8.000; 9. Houmann 7.900; 10. Pettys 7.800; 10. Falk 7.800; 13. Arbuckle 7.750; 16. Aubrey Krapp, 7.650; 18. Fisher 7.350; 20. Davis 7.250; 23. Kirschenmann 7.000; 31. Roemmich 5.150.

All-Around: 1. Julia Skari, JHS, 35.800; 2. Larson 35.250; 3. Hillerud 34.650; 8. Houmann 33.100; 9. Davis 32.800; 10. Fisher 32.600; 11. Arbuckle 32.400; 12. Van Gilder 31.600; 16. Pettys 30.600; 17. Kirschenmann 30.600; 24. Roemmich 27.550; 28. Falk 23.450; 34. Stoterau 8.200; 35. Aubrey Krapp 7.650.