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If two straight state tournament appearances didn’t already indicate that the Vikings gymnastics program is here to stay, then their rapid upward trajectory this year should do the trick.

Since coming out of the holiday break, the team has reached heights already equal to last years impressive squad.

After beating Class A-ranked Rush City 136.30-132.275, the Vikings hosted Monticello, another top Class A team and topped them 137.175-131.425.
Then, to top off the week, the Vikings participated in the Princeton Invitational, where they scored a 141.05, a season high. They finished second in the meet to Perham, who is the second ranked team in the state, regardless of class.

There was a multitude of high finishes on the week for the Vikings, and that’s the beauty of what North Branch is doing this year. They have different girls leading the charge each night and it’s creating competition between them that pushes the team further than they have before.

Against Rush City, Alexys Olson won the all around with Mikayla Johnson in second and Keeley Ertl in third. Annie Gladitsch scored a second place on the uneven bars to cap it off.

Against Monticello, Ertl won the all around with Johnson in second and Olson in fifth.

In the Princeton Invite, Olson was third in the all around, Ertl was fifth and Johnson was seventh.

The Lady Vikes competed against inter-county rival Chisago Lakes earlier in the week and will head to Princeton on Thursday, January 14 for a tangle with the Tigers. They’ll then head to Grantsburg, Wisconsin for a match on Tuesday, January 19 at 6:30.

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