Positive start as the Lakers win first their conference meet

Prior Lake went into the meet taking fifth at its own invitational Dec. 10, which opened the season. The Lakers had a team score of 134.550, which was eight points behind champion New Prague (142.750).

Lakeville South ended up second (139.350), followed by Rosemount (135.700) and Buffalo (134.850). Farmington was sixth (133.150), followed by Apple Valley/Eastview (130.950).

New Prague is in Section 2AA, so the Lakers got to measure themselves against the defending champs and last year’s state runner-up.

Prior Lake was runner-up at sections last year with a score of 142.050, while New Prague won with a 145.475.

Lakers coach Patrick Kloeckner said New Prague is the heavy favorite again in the section, while Rosemount and Lakeville South are the teams to beat in the SSC.

At the invite, senior Terin Block finished third in the all-around for Prior Lake with a score of 35.200. Sophomore Brooklynne Thorson was 13th (32.150).

Sophomore Annie Draine had the Lakers’ lone victory. She was tops on the balance beam with a score of 9.150. Block nearly won the floor exercise, taking second (9.550), which .10 behind the winner.

Block also led the Lakers on the vault tying for fourth (9.0). She was eighth on the uneven bars (8.550) and 15th on the beam (8.1).

Sophomore Ava Loftness ended up sixth on the vault (8.950) for Prior Lake. Thorson was 11th on the beam (8.3), while junior Reese Huston ended up 10th on the floor (9.1).

In the win over Lakeville North, Block ended up first in the all-around (34.675), while Thorson was fourth (32.950).

Loftness was tops in the vault (9.0), followed by Block in second (8.750) and junior Lauren Zahn in third (8.3). Block won the beam (9.0), while Draine was second (8.850).

Block was also second on the floor (9.225), while junior Sofia Monn had the Lakers’ best finish on the bars taking fifth (7.8).

Prior Lake ends 2022 with an SSC home meet versus Lakeville South Dec. 21. The team’s first competition of 2023 will be the New Prague Invitational Jan. 7.

This year’s Section 2AA meet will be held Feb. 10. Other teams in the field include Eden Prairie, Waconia, Minnetonka, Chaska/Chanhassen, Bloomington Jefferson and Mankato East.

Prior Lake won the Section 2AA team title in 2013 and finished a program-best seventh at state that year.

The Class AA state meet is set for March 24-25 at Roy Wilkins Auditorium in St. Paul. The team competition is first the day, followed by the individual meet.

The Lakers have had at least one gymnast at state in 13 of the last 14 years.