North Shore hosts Gopher Xcel Invite

In Saturday’s first session, North Shore’s Xcel Platinum team put on a strong performance. In the youngest age group, Lily Bleeker (13, Wayzata) placed fifth on bars and all-around, and

Reese Haag (14, Rockford) was third on beam. In the Junior division, Kaleigh Francis (15, Independence) was champion on both bars and beam and placed third all-around. Hailey Kalthoff (15, Delano) was fifth on vault and second on bars.

In the Senior division, Vienne Richardson (16, Orono) came away with fourth place on floor, third on bars, first on beam, and second all-around. Kaily Moeller (15, Maple Plain) was fifth on vault, third on beam, and fourth all-around, and Ella Clover (15, Minnetrista) placed fifth on bars.

Saturday’s second session ended with a first-place team award for North Shore’s Gold team.

These young gymnasts cheered each other on throughout the meet and came out on top of the competition. North Shore’s Olivia Johnson (11, Long Lake) dominated the younger age group, placing first on bars, beam, floor, and all-around. Maya Wetter (9, Delano) was not far behind with second place on bars, floor, and all-around. Samantha Lowther (8, Mound) was third all-around, placing third on beam and fifth on bars and floor. Hannah Erikson (10, Plymouth) was second on beam and fourth on floor. Ava Peterson (11, Delano) placed third on vault and

Makayla Harwick (10, Orono) was third on bars.

In the older age group, Miranda Zaback (14, Minnetrista) placed second on beam and third on floor.

Because of injuries, Eliza Hansen (15, Long Lake) was the only Diamond gymnast competing for North Shore on Saturday. Her clean routines and skills earned her a second-place all-around medal, fifth place on bars, and third on vault.

As a fun finish to the weekend, North Shore hosted an event finals program on Sunday for Xcel Platinum and Diamond. Only top-placing gymnasts from Saturday’s sessions were invited to participate on Sunday. North Shore gymnasts performed well in this exciting environment, with Kaily Moeller finishing as the vault champion and Vienne Richardson as both floor and beam champion in the Platinum Senior division. Moeller also placed fourth on beam and Richardson second on bars. In the Platinum Junior division, Kaleigh Francis was bars champion with Hailey

Kalthoff earning silver. Francis also placed second on beam.

In the Platinum Child age group, Reese Haag earned bronze on beam.

North Shore gymnasts are already preparing for their next competition, the Leprechaun Leap in Grand Rapids, March 11-12.

North Shore Gymnastics Association, Orono, was founded in 1974 and is a 501c3 non-profit organization. It is the club’s purpose to acquaint children at all levels of physical ability, potential and growth with the sport of gymnastics in an atmosphere of safe, fun, positive learning, and to help each child develop gymnastic skills, good sportsmanship, and discipline.

For more information, please call (763) 479-3189 or visit us at www.northshoregym.org.