Midgets win Heiser Invitational

• Mckenzie Kostelecky

Press Photo by Royal McGregor Dickinson junior Mckenzie Kostelecky competes on the uneven bars during the Glenn Heiser Invitational on Thursday at the Dickinson High School gymnasium.

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The Dickinson High gymnastics team shook off the loss to Minot in a fashionable way to end its regular season.

The Midgets didn’t best their season-high, but came close, tallying a 148.975 on Thursday to win the Glenn Heiser Invitational in Dickinson High School gymnasium.

“It’s was really strong performance,” Dickinson head coach Kent Van Ells said. “It wasn’t perfect, but it was a very good day.”

Bismarck Century was runner-up with 143.600 points and Bismarck High rounded out the three schools with a 143.175.

Dickinson’s eighth-grader Acacia Fossum continues to increase her personal best as she came won the all-around with a 38.500. Fossum didn’t win an individual event, but came in second in all four events.

“Acacia hit another personal best,” Van Ells said. “Realizing 40 is perfect and continually hitting a personal best is tough.”

The other Dickinson gymnast in the top five in the all-around was Shalesa Wariner. The senior was third with a personal-best 37.525.

“That’s a big personal best for Shalesa,” Van Ells said. “She’s never hit 37 and she hit 37.5.”

Dickinson had one individual winner as sophomore Mikaela Kessel won the floor exercise with a 9.725.

Bismarck Century’s Jessica Gabriel won the balance beam (9.625) and Jennifer Albers won the uneven bars (9.775). Bismarck High’s Mackenzie Keidel won the vault (9.775).

Dickinson’s Mckenzie Kostelecky is still suffering from a knee injury and her routine on the uneven bar, despite not having a dismount, is still paying dividends. She took fifth.

Jenna Mueller tied for third place in the balance beam with Wariner (9.45) and Keana Kudrna finished fifth in the vault (9.6).

Dickinson travels to Jamestown for the West Region meet next Friday.

“Hopefully the goal to take out of this is the feeling of confidence,” Van Ells said. “The WDA has the five best teams in it. It’s really a tough meet to win, but this helps it gives them confidence.”

Team scores: 1, Dickinson High 148.975. 2, Bismarck Century 143.600. 3, Bismarck High 143.175.

All around

1, Acacia Fossum, DHS, 38.500. 2, Jennifer Albers, BC 37.825. 3, Shalesa Wariner, DHS, 37.525. 4, Jessica Gabriel, BC, 37.250. 5, Mackenzie Keidel, BHS, 37.150. 6, Kaylee Keller, BHS, 36.900.

Vault

1, Mackenzie Keidel, BHS, 9.775. 2, Acacia Fossum, DHS, 9.675. 3, Kaylee Keller, BHS, 9.650. 4, Shalesa Wariner, DHS, 9.625. 5, Keana Kudrna, DHS, 9.600. 6, Jessica Gabriel, BC, 9.500.

Uneven bars

1, Jennifer Albers, BC, 9.775. 2, Acacia Fossum, DHS, 9.650. 3, Kaylee Keller, BHS, 9.425. 4, Shalesa Wariner, DHS, 9.075. 5, Mckenzie Kostelecky, DHS, 8.575. 6, Mackenzie Keidel, BHS, 8.500.

Balance beam

1, Jessica Gabriel, BC, 9.625. 2, Acacia Fossum, DHS, 9.475. 3 (tie), Jenna Mueller; Shalesa Wariner, DHS, 9.450. 5, Jennifer Albers, BC, 9.400. 6, Mackenzie Keidel, BHS, 9.375.

Floor exercise

1, Mikaela Kessel, DHS, 9.725. 2, Acacia Fossum, DHS, 9.700. 3, Jessica Gabriel, BC, 9.675. 4, Mackenzie Keidel, BHS, 9.425. 5, Jennifer Albers, BC, 9.450. 6, Kaylee Keller, BHS, 9.425.

Tags: high school gymnastics, dickinson midgets, sports, gymnastics