Alexandria gymnastics: Cardinals set new team record

• T. Bowden

Alexandria freshman Tahlia Bowden went through her routine on the bars in a meet against Melrose last Tuesday night. Bowden was a big part of the Cardinals’ school-record score of 143.725 as she finished top 10 in all four events at the Central Lakes Conference meet on Saturday. (Eric Morken, Echo Press)

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The Alexandria gymnastics team set a new team record with a final score of 143.725 to finish second at the Central Lakes Conference championship meet on Saturday.

The only team to better that was St. Cloud Tech. The Tigers, Class AA’s third-ranked team, finished with a score of 149.425 to win their ninth straight conference title. Willmar was third in the team standings with a score of 140.975.

The Cardinals got off on the right track by hitting 5-of-5 routines on the beam. That set the tone for the rest of the day as Alexandria set a team record in this event with a score of 36.15. Briquelle Bowden added another school record on the day with a 9.375 performance on the bars to finish second individually.

Bowden was one of three Alexandria athletes to earn all-conference honors in a number of events. Her younger sister, Tahlia Bowden, and sophomore Hannah Wendel joined her on that list.

Wendel was the catalyst of the group, finishing second in the all-around with a score of 36.975. She took ninth in vault (9.3), eighth on the bars (8.75), second on the beam (9.425) and paced Alexandria on the floor with a 9.5.

Tahlia Bowden was fourth in the all-around with a score of 36.75. She was fifth in the vault (9.4), ninth on bars (8.6) and first on the beam with a 9.5. She also finished with a 9.25 on the floor.

Briquelle is the lone senior on this team and finished just behind her sister in the all-around at fifth place. Bowden set the tone for her day with her performance on the bars. She also took sixth on the beam (9.3) and on the vault (9.35).

The Cardinals hope to carry the momentum from the CLC meet into the section meet this Saturday in Willmar. Melrose will be the favorites in the team competition, but Alexandria has high hopes of sending a few athletes to state after both Bowdens went a year ago.

CLC CHAMPIONSHIP

TEAM STANDINGS – 1. St. Cloud Tech – 149.425; 2. Alexandria – 143.725; 3. Willmar – 140.975; 4. Sauk Rapids – 139.6; 5. Brainerd – 136.675; 6. St. Cloud Apollo – 135.975; 7. Sartell – 135.875; 8. Fergus Falls – 124.225

VAULT – 5 - Tahlia Bowden 9.4

6 - Briquelle Bowden 9.35

9 - Hannah Wendel 9.3

Rachel Sjostrand 8.45

Anna Spanbauer 8.35

BARS – 2 - Briquelle Bowden 9.375 *New School Record

8 - Hannah Wendel 8.75

9 - Tahlia Bowden 8.6

Jana Roste 8.35

Bria Schueler 8.35

BEAM - 36.15 *New School Record

1 - Tahlia Bowden 9.5

2 - Hannah Wendel 9.425

6 - Briquelle Bowden 9.3

Bria Schueler 7.925

Jana Roste 7.925

FLOOR – Hannah Wendel 9.5

Tahlia Bowden 9.25

Briquelle Bowden 8.7

Bria Schueler 8.55

Anna Spanbauer 8.2

ALL-AROUND – 2 - Hannah Wendel 36.975

4 - Tahlia Bowden 36.75

5 - Briquelle Bowden 36.625

ALL CONFERENCE – Hannah Wendel - Vault, Bars, Beam, Floor, and All-Around

Briquelle Bowden - Vault, Bars, Beam and All-Around

Tahlia Bowden - Vault, Beam, and All-Around; Honorable Mention – Briquelle Bowden – Floor; Tahlia Bowden – Bars

Tags: alexandria sports, sports, cardinals, gymnastics