Huskies Reign Ends; 3 Reach State Individually

For the first time in five years, a team other than Owatonna will represent Section 1AA at the state gymnastics meet. Northfield edged the Huskies at the section meet at Rochester Century. OHS will have three individuals compete on Saturday, February 22 at the Maturi Pavilion at the University of Minnesota.

Lindsay Bangs won the all-around at the section meet with a 37.85 total and will compete in all four events at state. Bangs also won the vault (9.625) and bars (9.65) at sections. Lucy Macius qualified for state with a second place on the balance beam (9.425) and a third place on the vault (9.4). She was fourth in the all-around. Halle Theis made the cut for state with a fourth place finish on the vault (9.375). She was seventh in the all-around.

Owatonna's team score was a full point higher than last weekend' score which was good enough to capture the Big Nine Conference title for the fifth straight year. Moe says it came down to the final event, "It was a thriller...They (Northfield) absolutely just killed beam." Northfield went 36.875 on the beam.

The Huskies ended the meet on the vault, traditionally one of Owatonna's stronger events, "The girls had their highest vaults of the year. They did exactly what they needed...Nothing to hang their heads on. We went up a full point from conference to sections...Northfield, they went up more than we did."

Team competition is Friday with individuals on Saturday. Class AA starts at 6 pm each night.