Owatonna Gymnasts Preparing for State Meet [Interviews]

The Owatonna High School gymnastics team is spending this week preparing for their first appearance at the Minnesota State High School League meet on Friday.

Class AA team action will be at 6PM Friday, February 19, at the Sports Pavilion at the University of Minnesota. A news release from the high school league indicates Roseville Area is the four-time defending champion. They are also the top-ranked team in the latest coaches poll. St. Cloud Tech is ranked second and Owatonna third. The Huskies were rated No. 1 for a period of time this season.

Owatonna coach Tom Smith told KRFO radio that the Huskies could win the title, or could finish in last place. Listen to the full interview below.

The Huskies' participants on their state meet team include senior Steph Kretlow (interview below), sophomores Grace Pick and Becca Olson, freshman Syd Kretlow and Ali An (interview below) and seventh-grader Lindsay Bangs. Syd Kretlow landed hard on her heel at the section finals last Friday and has had it heavily taped this week at practice.

KRFO Sports Director Roy Koenig will be at the Sports Pavilion on Friday night with live reports on the action. Listen to AM 1390 KRFO or follow him on Twitter @voiceofohs or follow @krfoam1390.

Steph Kretlow will also take part in the individual portion of state on Saturday on the vault and floor exercise. Olson and Bangs will compete on the beam Saturday.