All-around, balance beam champion
The long bus ride to southern Minnesota proved to be worth the trip for the FHS gymnastics team. The Tigers scored 135.8 points to claim the team title at the seven-team Austin Invitational held Saturday, Dec. 4.
Kiana Lord and Nadia Lorencz won individual events and Lord captured the all-around gold medal as Farmington re-gained the top spot in their annual season opener. The Tigers finished second to host Austin last year after winning the meet in 2008.
Austin finished in the runner-up spot this year with 131.15 points, followed by Rochester John Marshall 129.15, Richfield 123.9, Rochester Century 122.4, Stewartville 113.5 and Rochester Mayo 44.5.
"We had an amazing meet," coach Lynn Bauman said. "I had many compliments from other coaches saying our team was really fun to watch...and it was. Like I told the girls--if you want to be you have to do--and they did."
Lord had a big day for the Tigers, winning the balance beam, finishing third in floor exercise, fifth in both vaulting and the bars and claiming the all-around championship with 34.4 points.
The Tigers dominated the competition on the beam, grabbing the first three places. Kaylie Wharton and Tahra Eckert trailed only winner Lord in the final rankings.
Wharton added a fourth place tie on floor and finished third in all-around with 33.7 points. Terra Klima, a sixth place finisher at the state meet last season, took third on the uneven bars.
"Because of the new scoring, it will be hard to see high scores this year," Bauman said, "so with everything I was satisfied with our 135 team score."
The Tigers have less than a week to polish up their routines before kicking off their Missota Conference season with a dual meet at Red Wing Thursday, December 9.
