Marshfield area gymnasts take home 31 state championships

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

MARSHFIELD — The Marshfield Area Gymnastics Club (MAGIC) teams finished their competitive seasons with a flurry, earning multiple titles at the AAU State Meet in Galesville on April 23-24.

Members of the Marshfield MAGIC Level 3 competitive gymnastics team this season were, in front from left, Annie Goldberg, Phoebe Hernandez, and Calleigh Kunitz; in the middle row, Tianna Vobora, Casey Frankland, and Rainna Simone; and in the back, Lizzie Hanson, Kyra Huff, Vanessa Krenn, and Lauren Maki.

MAGIC, operated through the University of Wisconsin-Marshfield/Wood County Continuing Education program, conducts youth gymnastics classes as well as AAU competitive gymnastics for its athletes.

This year more than 40 gymnasts competed at the AAU state meet with 19 athletes earning 31 state championships.

In addition, the Level 2 team of Ava Paape, Natalie Kunitz, Alissa Mathis, Kayla Drexler, Makayla Wolf, Brittany Moen, Sloane Freitag, Dori Walker, Tess Freitag, Ashlyn Guldan, Kimberly Backaus, Natasha Neve, and Jesse Nelson won the team championship with a score of 112.575.

“Our program is growing and increasing in level,” MAGIC coach Allie Dryer said. “This was the last team competition of this season, though a few gymnasts may be traveling to Florida to compete in the individual AAU national championship this summer.”

“We have a lot of talented gymnasts training at MAGIC, and we’re so pleased with the results of our state meet,” said Dryer, who also serves as the head coach for the Marshfield High School gymnastics team. “Now that our competition season is over, we are working to increase difficulty and learn new skills for next year’s competition season.”

Paul Lecker is publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com, a contributor to Hub City Times Sports. You can reach him by email at paul@marshfieldareasports.com.

MAGIC state titlists

Level 2: Ava Paape, Age 9A, all-around (36.075); Natalie Kunitz, Age 9A, vault (9.325); Kayla Drexler, Age 10, bars (9.3), beam (9.4), all-around (36.625); Makayla Wolf, Age 10, bars (9.3); Sloane Freitag, Age 11, bars (9.5), floor (9.45), all-around (37.6); Doric Walker, Age 11, beam (9.375); Kimberly Backaus, Age 12, bars (9.35), floor (9.7), all-around (37.325).

Level 3: Calleigh Kanitz, Age 10, floor (9.1); Annie Goldberg, Age 11, floor (9.425); Kyra Huff, Age 11, vault (9.6); Lauren Maki, Age 12+, bars (8.975); Tianna Vobora, Age 12+, floor (9.5), all-around (36.3); Rainna Simone, Age 12+, beam (9.25), vault (9.55).

Level 4: Izabel Paape, Age 11B, bars (8.95), floor (8.975).

Level 5: Ellie Jensen, Age 9-11, bars (8.65); Hannah Danielson, Age 9-11, beam (8.925); Mykelti Joyce, Age 13+, beam (7.85), floor (8.8).

Level XP: Melanie Hafenbredl, bars and all-around.

Level 7: Shantel Nienast, bars and floor.