It was a senior night to remember for Park’s seniors in general – and all-around star Emily Dahlstrom in particular – as they went out in style Thursday in the final home meet of …
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It was a senior night to remember for Park’s seniors in general – and all-around star Emily Dahlstrom in particular – as they went out in style Thursday in the final home meet of the 2023-24 season.
Dahlstrom won the beam (9.2), floor (9.475) and all-around in record-setting fashion to lead Park to a season’s best 136.075 score and a win over visiting East Ridge.
“It was a great night,” said Dahlstrom after recording both her highest ever floor score and best beam score of the season. “It was a really good beam routine tonight. Floor was amazing.”
Asked what she was happiest with, “I’ve got to say floor,” said Dahlstrom. “I just love floor. That’s really my passion and that’s the highest score I’ve ever gotten, was tonight. So this is a big deal for me.”
Park also won the team title, 136.075 to East Ridge’s 133.625. East Ridge all-around ace Laney Schwellenbach, however, did not compete Thursday. That didn’t diminish a stellar night for many of Park’s athletes.
“It was a fun season night, the girls did great,” said Park coach Ali Flaata. “We have not peaked yet I would say but we’re definitely improving when it counts. And I just hope that we can put it all together these last couple of weeks.”
Dahlstrom (35.725) and Ashley Davis (34.700) in particular, as they finished 1-2 in the all-around.
Those two Park stars also went 1-2 on the floor, Dahlstrom winning with a 9.475 and Davis finishing second with a 9.225. Rugel scores an 8,525 in the event, Faletti an 8.2 and Peters an 8.150.
“Ashley had a good night, too,” said Flaata. “She just has little things to fix on each event. But it’s coming along and when she hits it’s going to be great.”
Senior Natala Rugel won the vault with a score of 9.050 as Park went 1-2-3 in the event. Davis was second with a score of 8.925, Dahlstrom third with an 8.9, Peters sixth with an 8.425 and Ava Klecatsky 10th with a 7.975.
Rugel (24.900) was seventh in the all-around, Natalie Peters (16.575) 10th, Clara Opichka was 11th (15.950) and Annelise Faletti 12th (15.425).
“Mine was probably floor,” said Rugel when asked her best event. “I just had a really clean routine. I made all my passes. It wasn’t my highest score but I’m just proud of my performance.
“As a team we can only go up from here,” Rugel added.
Dahlstrom’s 9.2 topped the beam competitors. Davis scored an 8.475 to finish fourth. Ruby Igl (8.275) was sixth, Opichka eighth (8.225) and Rugel 10th (7.325).
Dahlstrom was third on the bars (8.150), Davis fourth (8.075), Opichka fifth (7.725), Faletti seventh (7.225) and Kate Redmond 10th (6.8).
Faltetti stumbled a bit when asked her best event of the night.
“Floor, no, actually bars,” Faletti said. “Bars went really good. I did my uprise for the first time and I just got my highest score ever so it was a really good meet. It was such a good meet for all of us. We’re all coming together as a team and it never felt like more of a home.”
Next up for the Wolfpack is the Section 3AA meet, held this season at Eastview High School in Apple Valley on Friday, Feb. 16, starting at 5:30 p.m. Ranked teams Rosemount, Eastview/Apple Valley and Two Rivers will all prove formidable challenges for the Wolfpack gymnasts in their bids to qualify for state.
