Haugen qualifies in all-around, McGrath in vault for state meet at Wisconsin Rapids on March 4

By Paul Lecker

Sports Reporter

CHIPPEWA FALLS — Marshfield sophomore Emma Haugen will be returning to the WIAA state meet and will be joined by classmate Brooke McGrath after the two earned spots with top-five finishes at the WIAA Division 1 gymnastics sectional on Saturday at Chippewa Falls High School.

Haugen finished fifth in the all-around and will compete in all four events, and McGrath tied for third in the vault to qualify for the 2017 WIAA State Gymnastics Meet next weekend. The two Tigers will compete in the individual portion of the tournament on Saturday, March 4, at Wisconsin Rapids Lincoln High School.

Chippewa Falls (134.725) edged Stevens Point (134.525) for the team title, and both will compete in the team tournament on Friday, March 3. Marshfield ended up fourth, setting another program record with 132.975 points. It marks the fourth time this season the Tigers broke the school mark for points in a meet.

“We had a phenomenal day, breaking the school record for the fourth time this season,” Marshfield coach Allie Dryer said. “We started the season with lots of big goals, one to break 130, which we have excelled way beyond the last few meets. Marshfield has never qualified a team to team state, and it’s something we will continue to work toward next year.”

The top five individuals in each event and the all-around earned spots at the state meet.

Haugen, who competed in the vault at last year’s state meet and finished in 22nd place, totaled 34.65 points in the four events to take fifth place overall in the all-around, which was won by Wisconsin Rapids standout Tia Dorshorst (37.275), who also won three of the four individual events.

Haugen’s best finish came in the vault, where she placed second with a 9.1. McGrath ended up in a four-way tie for third with an 8.9 to secure her first appearance at state.

Haugen also finished fourth in the balance beam (8.8), seventh in the floor exercise (8.675), and tied with teammate Melanie Hafenbredl for 10th in the uneven bars (8.075).

Macey Smith finished seventh in the vault (8.8), and McGrath was ninth in the floor (8.625) for Marshfield’s other top-10 individual finishes.

(Hub City Times Sports Reporter Paul Lecker is also the publisher of MarshfieldAreaSports.com.)

2017 WIAA Division 1 Gymnastics Sectional

Feb. 25, at Chippewa Falls High School

Team scores: *1. Chippewa Falls 134.725; *2. Stevens Point 134.525; 3. Eau Claire Memorial/North 133.075; 4. Marshfield 132.975; 5. Hudson 132; 6. GET-CFC-Luth-MM-W 131.525; 7. Wisconsin Rapids 126.85; 8. Superior 22.875.

*State Meet Qualifiers

State qualifiers (top five) and Marshfield finishers

All-around: *1. Tia Dorshorst (WR) 37.275; *2. Izzy Spooner (CF) 35.975; *3. Olivia Clemens (SP) 34.975; *4. Addy Bengston (CF) 34.875; *5. Emma Haugen (MAR) 34.65; 11. Isabelle Jensen (MAR) 32.725; 16. Macey Smith (MAR) 32.125.

Balance beam: *1. Spooner (CF) 9.15; *2. Dorshorst (WR) 9.1; *3. Bengston (CF) 9.0; *4. Haugen (MAR) 8.8; *5. Renee Hinchcliffe (SP) 8.575; 19. Jensen (MAR) 7.8; 22. Ciera Neufeld (MAR) 7.625; 26. Smith (MAR) 7.4; 31. Bailey Schmitt (MAR) 7.0.

Floor exercise: *1. Dorshorst (WR) 9.3; *2. Spooner (CF) 9.225; *3. Clemens (SP) 9.1; *4. Bengston (CF) 9.075; *5. Taylor Owens (HUD) 8.775; 7. Haugen (MAR) 8.675; 9. Brooke McGrath (MAR) 8.625; 17. Jensen (MAR) 8.35; 19. Melanie Hafenbredl (MAR) 8.3; 28. Smith (MAR) 8.05.

Uneven bars: *1. Dorshorst (WR) 9.525; *2. Clemens (SP) 8.875; *3. Spooner (CF) 8.8; *4. Maya Budin (GET) 8.6; *5. Myriah Rau (ECMN) 8.275; 10. Haugen (MAR) and Hafenbredl (MAR) 8.075; 17. Smith (MAR) 7.875; 18. Jensen (MAR) 7.85; 31. Ally Bakke (MAR) 6.85.

Vault: *1. Dorshorst (WR) 9.35; *2. Haugen (MAR) 9.1; *3. Abby Stupar (SP), Hinchcliffe (SP), Bengston (CF), and McGrath (MAR) 8.9; 7. Smith (MAR) 8.8; 15. Jensen (MAR) 8.725; 17. Makenna Gramza (MAR) 8.65.