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The North Branch gymnastics team opened its season by placing third in a four school meet at Centennial Friday, December 2.

St. Francis won the meet with 137.65 points. Centennial (132.60) was next, North Branch earned 118.95, for third and St. Paul Johnson was fourth with 100.9.

Five gymnasts from each school competed in vaulting, uneven bars, balance beam and floor exercise. The best four scores for each school count toward the school’s team score.

St. Francis won the vaulting competition with 33.65 points. The Vikings were fourth with 30.9 points. Allyssa Houle’s 8.1 was top score for North Branch. Sophia Kneen was next with 8.0. Kelsey Lloyd and Darbi Berkman had matching 7.4’s to complete the Viking scoring. Heather Buckingham had 7.3.

The Viking’s 28.15 put them in third on the uneven bars. Houle finished first for North Branch with 8.15. She was followed by Lloyd (7.2), Sam Jannings (6.5) and Kneen (6.3). Berkman’s 4.9 completed the Viking scores. St Francis won the event with 34.9.

St. Francis also won the balance beam competition with 34 points. The Vikings were third with 28.9. Houle was the highest Viking scorer with 8.4. Lloyd (7.7) was next, Angie Pietila (7.0) third and Kneen (5.8) fourth. Jannings had 5.4 on the beam.

The 35 points St. Francis earned in floor exercise gave them a sweep of the four events. Once again, North Branch was third (31). Houle, again, was the top Viking at 8.75. Lloyd’s 8.5 was next. Kneen (6.95) and Berkman (6.8) completed the Viking scoring. Sam Jannings’ 6.0 was the final North Branch competitor.

Jessie Speldrick, St. Francis, was the top individual performer with 35.15 points. The Vikings’ Houle was fifth with 33.4, Lloyd was seventh with 30.8 and Kneen’s 27.05 put her in eighth.

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