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Bloomington Sun-Current – Thursday, March 1, 2012 – www.minnlocal.com
In the Community, With the Community, For the Community
Jefferson duo competes in state gymnastics meet Schmidt, Koch participate in Class AA events BY GREG KLEVEN – SUN NEWSPAPERS Two Bloomington Jefferson gymnasts advanced to the state Class AA individual meet Feb. 25 at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. Junior Michaela Schmidt and sophomore Christine Koch got to state after placing high in the Section 2AA meet Feb. 17 at Eastview High School. Schmidt finished 26th on vault at state, scoring 9.25. Koch was 26th on floor exercise (9.18). In the section meet, Koch finished second on floor exercise with 9.475. Koch came close to qualifying for state on balance beam with a fifth-place score of 8.575. Schmidt advanced to state on vault after scoring 9.225 at the section meet to place third. Bloomington head coach Leslee Wright said she was proud of the Jefferson gymnasts’ section performances.
“Koch had a fall on her best event, the beam, before coming back to finish second in floor exercise,” said Wright. “She put together her best routine of the season in that event. “Schmidt had a great vault and her score stood up. She hit both of her vaulting attempts well.” Jefferson eighth-grader Sarah Pertl was 10th on floor (8.875). Kennedy eighth-grader Alana Brown place sixth on vault (9.0) and 10th in allaround (33.025). Another top Bloomington gymnast missed the meet while recovering from a concussion. Jefferson senior Rachel Dargis was held out of the section meet after being injured in a non-gymnastics activity. “Rachel had a good chance to qualify for state on vault and bars,” said Wright. Jefferson placed sixth in the eightteam Section 2AA meet with 130.9. Eighth-place Kennedy had an incomplete team and finished with 87.325 points. Lakeville North won the Section 2AA title with 141.3 points. Lakeville South was second (139.35) and Chanhassen placed third (137.15).
2012
MATURE A Special Section on Active Adults
Jefferson sophomore Christine Koch performs a routine in floor exercise at the state AA individual gymnastics meet Feb. 25 at the University of Minnesota Sports Pavilion. (Photo by Brian Nelson – Contributing Photographer)
Northern Lights clinch junior hockey title Bloomington-based team boosts record to 40-5-1
Do you have a unique skill that you consider artistic? or Have you ever run a marathon, climbed a mountain or accomplished another challenge? If so, we want to talk to you for our April issue, which will focus on arts & recreation. Please contact Krista Jech at 952-392-6835 or kjech@acnpapers.com
The Bloomington-based Twin Cities Northern Lights have been on a winning roll losing only once since Dec. 3. The Northern Lights clinched their first Minnesota Junior Hockey League regular-season championship since 2002-03 and improved to 40-5-1 overall. “We’ve been very consistent,” Northern Lights head coach Erik Largen said. “The guys haven’t taken games for granted, and have made sure to give an honest effort most nights. “I’ve been happy with that, and I think that’s why we are playing good hockey right now.” Truth be told, it’s been that way since the onset for the Northern Lights. “We’ve been preparing all season for the playoffs, and more than anything, what we’ve done is a result of that,” Largen said. “There hasn’t been a whole lot to it. We’ve just tried to get
better every day.” In doing so, the Lights have also set themselves onto what could be the fast track to the Tier III national tournament. By winning the regular-season championship, the team receives a bye in the opening round of the Bush Cup Playoffs, meaning the team will have to win just one best-of-three series to claim one of the MnJHL’s two national tournament bids. Northern Lights have a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Lights host a best-of-three series March 9-11 at Bloomington Ice Garden. But for a team that has been anything but dull for the last six months, a weekend off isn’t likely to change much. “They’ll be ready to go,” Largen said. “They know that if we aren’t ready to win two games then, all of what we’ve accomplished is really for nothing. They understand what is at stake.” – Compiled by Nick Clark