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Despite a dazzling array of personal records and their highest score of the season, the Chisago Lakes gymnastics squad still tumbled against North Suburban Conference stalwart Irondale/Spring Lake Park.

But, they were able to spring back and knock off St. Croix Falls for their first win of the season.

Irondale/Spring Lake Park 127.825, Chisago Lakes 126.075

The Wildcats took an early lead against their conference rival, but it quickly evaporated behind SLP/Irondale's talent and depth.

In the 'Cats first event, the vault, they created a lead by scoring 31.875. The charge was led by Alicia Sokol, who scored a strong 8.325 for the team. The other four gymnasts also turned in solid scores as Cassie Schlegel scored a 7.9, Alex Thomsen a 7.85, Sam Thomsen a 7.7, and Courtney Schlegel set a personal record with a 7.8 on the vault.

With SLP/Irondale starting on the bars, they were only able to put up 30.775 points, led by Laura Fabian's 9.025. The score left them over a point behind the Wildcats after the first event.

The Wildcats were next up on bars, and although they still put up strong numbers, SLP/Irondale's best event of the night was their second event, the vaults.

The Wildcats were led by young Sam Thomsen in the bars event, as she scored an 8.1. Sokol was nipping at her heels with a personal best 7.95, and Aly Hagglund checked in with a 7.8. Courtney Schlegel added a 7.3.

The co-op of western teams, however, rode Fabian's 8.8 in the vault to a 33.650 score, which put them a point ahead of the Wildcats with the meet half over.

In the third event, SLP/Irondale built their lead to a nearly insurmountable margin. With the Wildcats on the always-tough beam, SLP/Irondale put up another 33.6 in the floor to put a four-point gap in between the two teams.

On beam, Hagglund impressed coaches and fans alike by winning the event with a personal record 8.35, but only two other Wildcats came in with scores over seven. Alex Thomsen had a 7.65 and her little sister, Sam, scored a 7.35.

Facing a daunting four-point deficit with only one event remaining, the 'Cats nearly pulled the stunner with their floor routines. Alex Thomsen earned a 8.75, and Sokol came in at 8.25. Sam Thomsen also earned a nice score for the Wildcats, checking in at 8.05.

Cassie Schlegel approached the eight-point mark, but just couldn't break the barrier. She scored a 7.9 with her routine. Courtney Schlegel scored a respectable 7.05 for CL. Sokol and the Schlegel sisters all set personal records in the floor exercise.

As a team, the girls earned a 32.95 in the floor exercise, and they needed SLP/Irondale to trip up on the beam. They nearly did.

Three of the five SLP/Irondale gymnasts failed to score over seven points, and it it wasn't for Fabian's 8.2 and Alex Theising's 7.9, the win could've been for the Wildcats' taking.

As it fell, however, the Wildcats came up just 1.7 points short at 127.825-126.075.

"This was our highest score of the season," Head Coach Brett Kjos pointed out. "The girls have been working very hard to improve their routines, and it's beginning to pay off."

Sam Thomsen was the top all-around performer for CL with a 31.2. Sokol had a personal best in the all-around with a 30.975. Fabian won the dual meet with a 34.925.

Chisago Lakes 123.95, St. Croix Falls 107

The girls finally got in the win column on the year with a victory over local rival St. Croix Falls.

Following the same order as the SLP/Irondale meet, the Wildcats began on vault and SCF started on the uneven bars.

Behind eight-plus scores from the Thomsen sisters and an 8.5 from Alicia Sokol, the Wildcats busted out with a 32.55. Meanwhile, St. Croix Falls stumbled out of the gate on the uneven bars.

Not one SCF competitor broke the seven-point mark en route to a 25.2.

With a seven-point lead in hand after one event, the Wildcats could just focus on not making mental errors and padding their lead.

With an 8.075 on bars, Sam Thomsen led the way for the 'Cats in the second event. Hagglund continued her strong season on bars, finishing with a 7.925, and Courtney Schlegel was right behind with a 7.825. Sokol came in with a 7.375.

The combined score for the uneven bars was 31.2, which added a little more to the Wildcats already large lead. With SCF scoring a 30.2 in the vault, the lead was stretched to eight points.

Chisago Lakes continued to have some troubles on the beam, but luckily, so did St. Croix Falls. Although the 'Cats only scored a 27.95, with the Thomsen sisters and Hagglund as the only competitors to score over seven, SCF was limited to a 24.375 with numerous falls. "We're having trouble staying on the beams," Kjos noted. "But, we will work extra routines over winter break."

The 11-point lead afforded the Wildcats the luxury of no pressure in the floor exercises. As long as nothing catostrophic happened, the meet was wrapped up.

In their relaxed mood, the Wildcats actually put up some of their better numbers on the year in floor. Alex Thomsen led the 'Cats with an 8.475. Sokol scored an 8.1, and Sam Thomsen earned a 7.925.

Cassie and Courtney Schlegel scored 7.7 and 7.750, respecitvely to propel Chisago Lakes to a big score.

"The girls just did a nice job overall in the first win of the season," Kjos said excitedly.

Besides the big team win, Sam Thomsen won the all-around title with a 31.7 and Sokol came in second place with a 29.3. Among the personal records set against St. Croix Falls were Sokol on vault, Hagglund and Courtney Schlegel on the uneven bars and her floor exercise.

After the extended break, the Wildcats will travel to three meets in four days from Jan. 6 to Jan. 10. The daunting task begins with the highly-ranked Cambridge-Isanti Bluejackets on the sixth, conference enemy St. Louis Park on the eighth and Class A power Big Lake on the 10th.

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