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Cambridge 143.725, North Branch 142.475
Although North Branch didn’t beat Class AA juggernaut Cambridge-Isanti, they put up a big enough score to really send shockwaves around the Class A landscape. They won’t be mistaken for Detroit Lakes, who are the best team in the state regardless of class (they put up an absurd 147.525 this year already), but North Branch’s score places them firmly in the top three in the state in Class A, and fighting with Melrose for the second spot.

“This was a very close meet and one of the highest scores we’ve ever registered this early in the season,” Head Coach Chris Johnson said after the meet.

Keeley Ertl won the vault with a 9.55 and the all-around in a meet stacked with great gymnasts. She also finished sixth on beam, fifth on bars and second on the floor exercise.

Outside of Ertl, the Vikings got contributions from a lot of different competitors. Alexys Olson finished second on the beam with a 9.2, third on the bars with an 8.85 and fifth on the vault with n 8.775.

Annie Gladitsch finished fourth on the floor with a 9.2 and sixth on the uneven bars with an 8.625. Michaela Egan and Ashley Robillard finished fourth and sixth, respectively, on vault, Angie Fish came in fifth on beam, and Paige Bauer finished fifth on the floor exercise.

North Branch hosts Rush City for first home meet in over six years
The North Branch gymnastics team had a great home opener this year against Rush City. Although the result was a win, the excitement wasn’t around the results.

When the Main Street School shut down as part of a cost-cutting effort in 2010, the Vikings were left without a competition area. After six years of using Chisago Lakes’ gym for their home meets, the Vikings finally were back in North Branch  Tuesday, December 20.

They are now in the East Gym, where wrestling and B-team basketball teams used to play.

Those programs are low on numbers this year, so North Branch has its home back.

The Vikings took on Rush City/Pine City/Hinckley-Finlayson in the meet, and it was nearly as important as the Cambridge-Isanti meet from the previous week. RCPCHF isn’t in the Mississippi 8 Conference, but they are some of NB’s main competition in Section 7A, so a win goes a long way for North Branch’s postseason prospects.

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