Swinging for the state meet

Sauk Prairie’s girls gymnastics team has never been to the state meet. And the Eagles have a tough path this year, as they’ve been placed in one of the state’s toughest sectionals. But if last Saturday’s Badger Conference meet was an indicator of what’s to come, Sauk Prairie seems poised to make a run at the first state tournament in school history. The Eagles had a tremendous day at the conference meet, finishing second to five-time defending league champion Mount Horeb. The Vikings won the conference championship with a score of 138.950 and edged runner-up and host Sauk Prairie (136.2250). Baraboo (134.7750), Monona Grove (134.2750) and Waunakee/DeForest (131.3750) rounded out the top five at the eight-team meet. Sauk Prairie’s team score was a new school record. The Eagles also set a new school record on the bars (34.550). “It was a confidence boost that they needed and deserved heading into an incredibly tough sectional,” Eagles’ coach Justine Anderson said. “We have been working hard on the mental game and being ready to show off how good they are instead of being worried about making a mistake, and you can tell the difference already.” Sauk Prairie’s McKenna Breunig was third in the all-around competition with a sensational score of 35.30. Sara Nehring was sixth (34.4250) and Claire Hartman was ninth (33.8750). Breunig was second on the bars (9.150), while Hartman and Nehring tied for sixth (8.70), and Lyla Annen added an 8.0. “Bars was where they really took off,” Anderson said of her team. “Every varsity girl hit their routine and every single girl received a PR or just under it.  “McKenna has been fighting for a 9.0 on bars the entire season and even through a couple of blood blisters, managed to finally make it happen, earning her a spot on the podium as well.” Nehring was fourth on the vault (8.60), while Hartman was 10th (8.3250), Kylee Ballweg was 11th (8.30) and Breunig was 24th (8.050). Breunig was seventh on the beam (9.0), while the Eagles also counted scores from Nehring (8.20), Ballweg (7.90) and Hartman (7.70). “Beam was rough, with more falls and missed connections than we’ve had in a while, but Sara and McKenna finished off the event with solid routines,” Anderson said. “By the time they got to floor, they were ready to show off.” And the Eagles did just that. Hartman was second on the floor with a 9.150, while Breunig was sixth (9.10), Nehring was ninth (8.9250) and Addisyn Ranzenberger was 23rd (8.4520). “We closed out the meet with big scores from all five (floor) competitors, earning both McKenna and Claire spots on the podium,” Anderson said. Now, the Eagles will head to the Mount Horeb Sectional Thursday at 5:30 p.m. The sectional also includes Baraboo, Elkhorn, Jefferson/Cambridge, Monona Grove, Mount Horeb, Waterford and Whitewater. The top two teams at sectionals advance to state. Mount Horeb has reached the state tournament 12 straight years, a state record 36 times overall and is the favorite. But the Eagles expect to make a strong push for their first-ever trip to state. “If they can go into sectionals just knowing they are good, then we may just have a shot at going to state as a team,” Anderson said. “It will really come down to who decides to show up that day, and it’s both exciting and terrifying at the same time.” • JV: Sauk Prairie was fifth at the conference JV meet. Mount Horeb won the title with a 128.250 team score, while the Eagles finished with a 115.350. Sauk Prairie’s Makayla Greffin was fifth in the all-around with a 28.550, while Kelsey Krayer was sixth (28.150). “JV had a great night as well and I cannot believe that is the end of the season for the JV girls,” Anderson said. “It came too fast! The amount of improvement there was this season was remarkable.”