Midgets win at home, stay unbeaten in meets

• Shalesa Wariner

Press Photo by Dustin Monke Dickinson High junior Shalesa Wariner flips while coming off the balance beam Saturday during the Dickinson Invitational gymnastics meet.

Talk about it

What began as a five-team gymnastics meet Saturday at the Dickinson High gymnasium, turned into a one-horse race and an onslaught of podium sweeps.

Leading the charge for the Midgets was seventh-grader Acacia Fossum, who won the all-around with a score of 38.125.

Dickinson took top honors as they won with a team score of 148.100.

It was the Midgets’ seventh consecutive victory this season. They have yet to lose a meet.

Grand Forks wrapped up second place with a 125.600. Fargo South claimed third with 124.750 and Valley City and Fargo North finished with 120.150 and 119.200, respectively.

“It was a better team effort, better balance, a good showing from more girls” Dickinson head coach Kent Van Ells said.

The Midgets claimed the top four spots in every event except the floor exercise while taking the top six positions in the all-around. Following Fossum, the Midgets’ top six were: Mikaela Kessel (36.900), Brogan Burwick (36.525), Shalesa Wariner (35.950), Mckenzie Kostelecky (35.075) and Keana Kudrna (34.800).

Wariner, a junior, pulled out a victory in the vault as she snuck by teammate Fossum by .05 of a point with a 9.575.

“Wariner has been banged up a little with some back and shin problems,” Van Ells said. “I’m happy she did well today.”

The only other Dickinson gymnast to beat out Fossum in any event Saturday was Kessel in the floor exercise.

Ironically, it was by the same margin. Kessel recorded a 9.550 while Fossum had a 9.500.

“Any time a girl scores over 38 points in the all-around, you know she had a good day,” Van Ells said. “Three first (places) and two second (places) and her second-highest all-around score of the season … Fossum was good for us today.”

Senior Brogan Burwick had her strongest showing of the year, finishing third in the all-around with a score of 36.525, and taking fourth in the floor, third in the vault, and second in the uneven bars.

The Midgets were without sophomore Chantal Urlacher, who Friday afternoon had surgery to repair a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament in her knee. She is out for the season.

Dickinson High Invitational

At DHS Gymnasium

Team scores: Dickinson High 148.100, Grand Forks 125.600, Fargo South 124.750, Valley City 120.150, Fargo North 119.200.

All around

1, Acacia Fossum, D, 38.125. 2, Mikaela Kessel, D, 36.900. 3, Brogan Burwick, D, 36.525. 4, Shalesa Wariner, D, 35.950. 5, Mckenzie Kostelecky, D, 35.075. 6, Keana Kudrna, D, 34.800.

Balance beam

1, Acacia Fossum, D, 9.625. 2, Mikaela Kessel, D, 9.550. 3, Jenna Mueller, D, 9.425. 4, Brogan Burwick, D, 9.275. 5, Keana Kudrna, D, 9.100. 6, Shalesa Wariner, D, 9.050.

Floor exercise

1, Mikaela Kessel, D, 9.550. 2, Acacia Fossum, D, 9.500. 3, Shalesa Wariner, D, 9.125. 4, Brogan Burwick, D, 9.050. 5, Madison Uglem, FN, 8.975. 6, Ally Hall, FS, 8.875.

Uneven bars

1, Acacia Fossum, D, 9.475. 2, Brogan Burwick, D, 8.800. 3, Mikaela Kessel, D, 8.475. 4, Mckenzie Kostelecky, D, 8.400. 5, Shalesa Wariner, D, 8.200. T6, Keana Kudrna, D, 8.150. T6, Madison Uglem, FN, 8.150.

Vault

1, Shalesa Wariner, D, 9.575. 2, Acacia Fossum, D, 9.525. 3, Brogan Burwick, D, 9.400. 4, Mckenzie Kostelecky, D, 9.350. T5, Mikaela Kessel, D, 9.325. T5, Keana Kudrna, D, 9.325.

Tags: sports, midgets, gymnastics, preps