Packer gymnasts shake off the setbacks to beat Waseca
Published 9:59 pm Tuesday, January 7, 2025
Katelynn Klouse performs her floor routine for the Packers. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Greta Kosel performs on the beam in the Austin YMCA Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Katelynn Klouse balances on the beam for the beam for the Packers. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
The Packer gymnasts take a break on the beam between events. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Paula Kampf, a foreign exchange student from Germany, competes in the beam for the Packers. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindialyherald.com
Austin’s Callie McRae flips on her floor routine in the Austin YMCA Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Reese Norton flips on her floor routine in the Austin YMCA Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
Austin’s Kiki Rodriguez works through her floor routine in the Austin YMCA Tuesday. Rocky Hulne/sports@austindailyherald.com
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The Packer gymnastics team learned a long time ago that their sport doesn’t allow any time for sulking or dwelling on a miscue and they put that mindset to use as they beat Waseca 133.3250-130.4500 in the Austin YMCA Tuesday night.
Austin senior Kiki Rodriguez took second in all-around and beam while winning the vault, but she had a big fall on her first leap of her floor routine. It didn’t faze Rodriguez as she was able to continue competing without hesitation.
“For me, it doesn’t happen often, but when it does I think I do a good job of recollecting myself and finishing my routine,” Rodriguez said. “I’ve learned to refocus and not take it as hard as it seems. I just have fun with it, keep going and focus on what I have to do next.”
Austin senior Katelynn Klouse took third in all-around and second in bars, but she didn’t have a perfect night either after she had suffered a tough fall on the beam on Saturday.
“On Saturday I did not have a good aerial and I did not have a good routine,” Klouse said. “Today I focused too much on the aerial and not the rest of my routine, which caused two falls. It teaches you a lot, even in life, because things don’t matter as much as they seem like they do in the moment.”
Klouse, Rodriguez, and the team’s other senior Reese Norton, who took fifth in all-around, are all enjoying their final year together as the Packers are racking up some dual wins and getting their scores well into the 130s. The team has also come together in support of each other.
“After every rough meet, I have a team to back me up and this is the best group we’ve had as far as coming together as a family,” Klouse said. “We are doing so well and I’m so proud of everyone right now. I love my team and my coaches.”
Bella Wilkan of Waseca won the all-around competition as she put up a score of 36.00.
AUSTIN RESULTS
All-Around: Kiki Rodriguez (second, 34.2250); Katelynn Klouse (third, 33.8500); Reese Norton (fifth, 31.4500)
Vault: Kiki Rodriguez (first, 9.050); Callie McRae (fourth, 8.700); Katelynn Klouse (fifth, 8.700); Greta Kosel (sixth, 8.500); Reese Norton (seventh, 8.450)
Bars: Katelynn Klouse (second, 8.6500); Kiki Rodriguez (third, 8.600); Callee Osgood (fourth, 7.7500); Reese Norton (fifth, 7.6750)
Beam: Kiki Rodriguez (second, 8.3750); Greta Kosel (third, 8.0500); Katelynn Klouse (fourth, 7.700); Reese Norton (eighth, 7.1250)
Floor: Callie McRae (second, 8.950); Katelynn Klouse (second, 8.800); Greta Kosel (fourth, 8.500); Reese Norton (eighth, 8.200); Kiki Rodriguez (ninth, 8.200)
