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Madison Grausam was a little too pumped for her final floor routine Thursday night at Brainerd High School.
The lone Brainerd Warrior senior competing in the regular-season finale jumped out of the performance area twice, but still posted a second-place 9.2 to help Brainerd to a season-high 142.975 to beat the Little Falls Flyers, who scored a 130.70.
“It was fun,” said Grausam. “I’m glad I went out with a bang. It’s always fun being the last person because it’s like you own the floor for the night.
“I get really excited so I popped out of the floor a couple of times, but it was still a really good night.”
Grausam enjoyed a stellar senior night as she won the vault with a 9.425 and beam with a 9.45 for a season-best 36.575 all-around score. That placed her second behind the Flyers’ Rachelle LeBlanc, who posted a 36.925. LeBlanc won the floor with a 9.55.
The night, according to Grausam, belonged to all Warriors as they incorporated new elements into their routines en route to the season-high score.
“I don’t know even what to say because I’m still in shock over our score,” Grausam said. “We wanted to come back from our last meet, which we lost (to St. Cloud Apollo Jan. 26), and we got a 142, which is our season high. We really kicked butt tonight.”
Mikayla Cerney kicked butt on the bars to win with a 9.0. Lonie Anderson got the most hugs after her routine, which landed her a second-place 8.875.
“She added a couple of new things in her bar routine and before the meet we talked and she felt comfortable going after it,” Warriors head coach Dave Maras said. “By gosh if she didn’t do it. It may not have been as clean as she would have liked, but dog-gone-it she went through it and it’s only going to get better.”
All five Warriors landed their vault, which Maras said was a season first. Cerney was third behind Grausam and LeBlanc with a 9.025 and Rachel Hoffman scored a fourth-place 9.0.
Hoffman was third on beam with a 9.05 to follow Grausam and LeBlanc. Jenny Muesing posted a fourth-place 8.85.
“Monday we spent a considerable amount of time doing beam routines,” Maras said. “Several beam routines, one after the other, and tonight we worked the beam like we’re supposed to work the beam.”
While LeBlanc won the floor, the most noise went to Jackie Caughey and then to Grausam.
“Jackie spent the last couple of years working on her full twists and just this year they’re starting to come around and her routine is complete,” said Maras. “She brings a tremendous amount of energy to her floor.”
Caughey, a junior captain, posted a third-place 9.0 before Grausam bettered her with her 9.2. Cerney was fourth with an 8.8.
“This just sets the pace for the rest of the season with conference and sections coming up,” Grausam said. “We know we can do it so we just have to keep it going.”
Brainerd 142.975, Little Falls 130.7
Vault: 1-Madison Grausam (Brd) 9.425, 2-Rachelle LeBlanc (LF) 9.275, 3-Mikayla Cerney 9.025, 4-Rachel Hoffman (Brd) 9.0, 5-Jacquelin Caughey (Brd) 8.9, 6-Jenny Muesing 8.675, 7-Amanda Hanson (LF) 8.5, 8-Carly Atkinson (LF) 8.45, 9-Stephanie Cleuver (LF) 8.275, 10-Sara Stout (LF) 8.25
Uneven parallel bars: 1-Cerney 9.0, 2-Lonie Anderson (Brd) 8.875, 3-LeBlanc 8.75, 4-Hoffman 8.5, 5-Grausam 8.5, 6-Anna Bieganek (Brd) 7.9, 7-Hanson 7.9, 8-Carly Atkinson (LF) 7.35, 9-Stout 6.9, 10-Megan Peterson (LF) 6.45
Balance beam: 1-Grausam 9.45, 2-LeBlanc 9.35, 3-Hoffman 9.05, 4-Muesing 8.85, 5-Caughey 8.7, 6-Cerney 8.65, 7-Stout 7.7, 8-Diana Kempenich (LF) 7.6, 9-Atkinson 7.5, 10-Staci Stein 7.3
Floor exercise: 1-LeBlanc 9.55, 2-Grausam 9.2, 3-Caughey 9.0, 4-Cerney 8.8, 5-Jaelyn King 8.7, 6-Hoffman 8.5, 7-Hanson 8.2, 8-Peterson 7.75, 9-Stout 7.65, 10-Samantha Post 6.75
All-around: 1-LeBlanc 36.925, 2-Grausam 36.575, 3-Cerney 35.475, 4-Hoffman 35.050, 5-Stout 30.5
JEREMY MILLSOP may be reached at jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com or at 855-5856.
