Northfield Raiders Gymnasts Break 150 at Northfield Gymnastics Club Invitational

Raiders gymnasts continued their rapid improvement in this blowout victory over southern metro teams by achieving the 150 level at the earliest point in the season compared to prior outstanding teams that recorded state championships in the largest school division 2 of the last 3 yrs.

As the team blew away the extremely talented 150 level at 150.55, Bailey DuPay broke the Northfield All-Around score record significantly, scoring an incredible 38.95, breaking the record score of Tasha Pasche of a decade earlier, which Bailey had just tied last week. For those not well-versed in gymnastics scoring, a "perfect 10" on all 4 events in gymnastics [vault, uneven bars, beam and floor exercise] would give a perfect 40. To achieve nearly a 39 is to approach one of the most perfect scores in Minnesota gymnastics history at 39.325 by Stephanie Benson of Eagan in 1999 at the State Tournament.

With the Raiders' gymnasts achieving a 150 at the earliest point in the season ever, one wonders about the potential for this team. If one calculates the best performances of the recent meets and removes mistakes, one can dream of a 152 goal for the team. That is remarkable, since the State Tournament Meet record is 153.525 in 2008 by one of the Roseville dynasty teams, champions 5 out of 7 years between 2006 and 2012. Last year's attempt by Northfield at the State Tournament to three-peat and annul the Roseville dynasty failed by a mere 0.1 measure after unprecedented falls on the bars and beam.

If one looks at the winning State Tournament scores of the largest school division in Minnesota over the past 3 years [148.325, 150.40, 149.175], we can see the potential of this team baring injury [knock-on-wood]. Although this team is apparently more talented than the prior 3 [with 2 State Tournament Championships], its depth is less, with talent in the 5th and higher positions more limited than in prior years.

The Lakeville dynasty in gymnastics lasted for 11 yrs with 9 State Championships in 11 years between 1993 and 2003. The Roseville dynasty lasted 4 years between 2006 and 2009 but has been 5 of the last 7 years, interrupted by the 2-year Northfield dominance of 2010 and 2011. Can little Northfield resume its position as the best gymnastics team in Minnesota or will unpredictable events displace them a second year in a row?

Northfielders wondering about the significance of this should know that gymnastics in Northfield at the Northfield Gymnastics Club has possibly been the best program in the state for many years to produce such gifted gymnasts from a small community compared to the large schools in the top division of Minnesota.

A confirmation of this is that the long 16 yr record of an all-around score in Northfield by Tasha Pasch in 1998 was just broken today by a sophomore elite gymnast by the name of Bailey DuPay.  Bailey also happens to be the State Tournament diving champion in the largest school division for 2012, being instrumental in the Gators swimming team State Championship for Northfield.

150.55 and 38.95 are numbers to remember, but I believe our gymnasts are looking at the State Tournament team record of 153.525 and the Minnesota all around record of 39.325 with a recovery of the State Championship from the Roseville dynasty. The latter is paramount to them, as the numbers will fall later because our team is still very young.

The team has dual conference meets against Farmington and Red Wing next week before the Missota Conference Tournament in Red Wing Feb 8th, followed by the Sectional Tournament here in Northfield on February 15th at 7pm at the Northfield Gymnastics Club. Come and see the most dominant sports program in Northfield history and enjoy the incredible action of young women actually flying.