Emporia High’s gymnastics team excelled on the beam at the Newton Invitational on Saturday, with all five Spartan competitors logging personal bests and Carissa Schmitz medaling with a second-place finish.
The Spartans finished sixth out of seven teams at the meet with a season-best team score of 83.60. Schmitz’s 8.55 score on the beam was good for second and led the personal bests also set by Kaitlyn Miller (7.7), Kayla Baker (7.25), Kylie Mains (5.45) and Brenda Del Alba (4.5).
“We worked so hard on beam throughout the week and we put some difficult skills into our routines,” EHS coach Barbara Clark said. “I was so proud of all the girls on beam.”
Madison Reiber competed in two events and posted personal bests in both of them, scoring a 7.85 on the vault and a 6.7 on the floor. Miller had the Spartans’ best score on the vault (7.95), bars (6.525) and floor (7.95), and posted a personal best in the all-around (30.125).
Kristina McAuley had a tough break during the dismount on her bars routine when she fell on her back, sidelining her for the rest of the meet.
“Her routine was the best routine I had seen from her this season,” Clark said.
Newton defended its home turf at the invitational, winning with a team score of 98.825. Emporia will be back in action on Tuesday at Olathe North.
Team scores
1. Newton 98.825
2. Free State 96.95
3. Olathe South 95.20
4. Olathe North 92.375
5. Hutchinson 91.20
6. Emporia 83.60
7. Lawrence 63.15
Emporia results
Vault
Kaitlyn Miller 7.95, Madison Reiber 7.85, Carissa Schmitz 7.5, Kayla Baker 7.4, Kylie Mains 6.3
Bars
Miller 6.525, Baker 4.05, Kristina McAuley 3.675.
Beam
Schmitz 8.55, Miller 7.7, Baker 7.25, Mains 5.45, Brenda Del Alba 4.5.
Floor
Miller 7.95, Schmitz 7.7, Maranda Rust 6.9, Reiber 6.7.
All-around
Miller 30.125