Gymnastics: Tigers maintain with new lineup

Tahra Eckert 4th on beam and vault (photo by J. Lindquist)

Farmington kept its team score about where it has been for the last three meets in Tuesday night's 148.55-132 loss to defending state runner-up Northfield at the District Service Center despite having to field a new starting lineup.

"Kylie Wharton is now out for the season with a torn ACL," Tiger coach Lynn Bauman said. "Abby Schwartz was at a band concert and Gina Mercurio was out sick.

"We still rose to the challenge and kept the team score up. We just keep improving every day, so now the challenge is to to have everyone there."

The talented Raiders dominated the competition with a fourth place finish the best the Tigers could muster in any individual event. Tahra Eckert took fourth in both the vault and balance beam while Amanda Davenport ranked fourth in floor exercise.

Davenport placed fifth on the uneven bars and in all-around score. Kathryn Beckett took fifth in floor and Rachel Kiminski fifth on beam. Eckert finished sixth in all-around.

Farmington won the junior varsity match handily, outscoring the Raiders 118.25-86.05.

Kiminski had the top score in vault while Sidney Comes won the bars, beam and all-around competition.

Elizabeth Welter took second on the bars and she and Ashley Ellefson tied for the runner-up spot in floor exercise.

The Tigers close out the pre-holiday portion of their schedule Friday with a home dual meet against Chaska/Chanhassen.