Red Wing gymnasts fall to powerhouse

An injury during warm-ups put the Wingers even farther behind the eight ball against powerhouse New Prague. Red Wing lost the Missota Conference meet 139.55-121.975 Tuesday night.

Senior captain Kirsten Bluhm injured her foot before the meet started and was pulled from competition.

"Kirsten getting injured really hurt us because she competes in three varsity events for us," Red Wing coach Beth Mayer said. "It's already hard to go up against a very talented, very big New Prague squad. It's intimidating. And then to lose our senior captain before the meet ... "

One positive coming from the late lineup changes was that Mayer was pleased with the varsity replacements, including freshman Kaleigh Owens.

"I think that the girls I asked to fill in did a good job," Mayer said. "An example was that Kaleigh had a season best on beam."

Red Wing had three gymnasts finish in the top five. Eighth grader Kassidy Coplan led the squad with a fifth-place finish in both the uneven bars (7.65) and the balance beam (8.05). Teammate Carlie Sandstrom took fifth in vault with an 8.4.

Perhaps the only other positive of Bluhm's injury is the timing. Red Wing doesn't compete again until a Jan. 5 meet at Prior Lake. While the Wingers wait to learn the status of Bluhm's injury, the team will have plenty of time to practice over the holiday break. Mayer says her team will use that time to work on new skills and get in some much-needed repetitions.

"It'll be nice to come back with some new skills after Christmas," Mayer said.

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