Gymnasts 4th at River Falls Invite

• Amanda Baker performs her floor routine

Junior Amanda Baker performs her floor routine at Saturday’s Winter Wonderland Invitational in River Falls. Baker finished seventh in the event with a score of 8.45. Photo by Bob Burrows
• Toria Ferrell launches herself onto the vault

Raider junior Toria Ferrell launches herself onto the vault during the annual Winter Wonderland Invitational at River Falls last Saturday. Hudson finished fourth at the 12-team event with a score of 123.05. Photo by Bob Burrows

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The Raider gymnastics team turned in a strong showing at the 12-team Winter Wonderland Invitational in River Falls last Saturday by placing fourth, two days after posting a Big Rivers Conference dual victory over Menomonie.

Junior Amanda Baker made three trips to the awards stand at River Falls, placing fifth on the uneven parallel bars, seventh in the floor exercise and seventh in the all-around competition to lead the Raiders.

Hudson finished with a total score of 123.05 to finish fourth in the final team standings. Host River Falls won the event with a score of 140.375 followed by Chisago Lakes with 128.025 and Rice Lake/Cumberland with 125.575. Menomonie, who the Raiders defeated just two days earlier, placed fifth behind Hudson with a score of 120.25.

Baker scored 8.575 on the uneven bars and 8.45 on floor to place in both events. She just missed placing in the top eight in the vault with score of 8.675 and finished 22nd on the balance beam with a score of 7.075 to finish with a total score of 32.75, earning her a seventh-place medal in the all-around.

Junior Toria Ferrell finished 16th in the all-around competition with a total score of 30.325. She placed 19th on the balance beam with a score of 7.15, 19th in the floor exercise with a 7.95, 26th in the vault with 8.175, and 29th on the uneven bars with a 7.05.

Freshman Brooke Miller also competed in the all-around and finished 19th with a total score of 29.6.

Junior Kirstin Strom boosted the Raiders’ effort in the vault by tying for 12th place with a score of 8.55 while freshman Maddy Rohde tied for 19th with an 8.3. Rohde also finished 18th on the uneven bars with a score of 7.425.

Last Thursday in their BRC dual meet against Menomonie, the Raiders swept the top three spots in the all-around on their way to a 126.175 to 119.275 victory over the Indians.

Baker took first in the all-around with a total score of 33.725, Ferrell was second with 31.8 and senior Deven DuCharme finished third with 29.325.

The Raiders return to River Falls for a BRC dual this Thursday, Jan. 20, and will visit Eau Claire on Thursday, Jan. 27. They will host the Hudson Invitational on Saturday, Jan. 29, beginning at 10 a.m. at Willow River Elementary School.

Tags: sports, gymnastics, raiders, prep