Flyer Sanoski soars high

There is a sense of Flyer pride in everything Brianna Sanoski accomplishes.

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The Little Falls senior has accomplished a lot in her six-year varsity career. Most recent was her surpassing the 35-point all-around plateau. She's done it three times this season, including a career-best 35.2 in a non-conference meet Jan. 23 against Litchfield.

Sanoski won the floor and uneven parallel bar disciplines en route to winning the all-around title and leading the Flyers to a 132.75-132.65 non-conference victory.

She won the floor with a 9.05 and the bars with an 8.65. She was second on beam with an 8.45 and vault with a 9.05.

Brianna Sanoski

"I realized I was getting closer and closer to that number," Sanoski said. "I just added a bonus high-superior jump in my floor routine, which got me a couple more points, and realized I needed to be more tight with everything. I really tried hard and I ended up getting it. I prepared myself mentally to get it."

Two days later Sanoski registered a 34.375 to win the all-around in a Central Lakes Conference meet with Sartell. Again she won the bars with an 8.3 and the floor with a 9.05. She also placed second on vault (8.6) and third on beam (8.425).

"I think her beam has been very consistent this season and just the fact that she has continually improved has helped her this season," said Flyers co-head coach Shelly LeBlanc. "We've asked her to be the leader of our team, both personality wise and score-wise. She has a good work ethic and we've wanted her to get a 35 all-around for a while."

LeBlanc said Sanoski put in a layout and a half twist into her first run on her floor routine. Then she threw in the bonus high superior leap. She said Sanoski is so focused on floor that she hasn't seen her make a mistake all season.

Sanoski recorded a season-best 9.2 this past week against New London-Spicer.

"I have shin splints so I can't really do a lot of training on my floor, but I do a lot of running to keep my endurance up to make it through my floor routine," she said.

Brianna Sanoski

Year: Senior

School: Little Falls

Sport: Gymnastics

Position: All-around

Key stat: Scored a career-best and school-record 35.2 all-around score Jan. 23.

Sanoski said she spends 15 minutes after practice to work on her beam routine and won't leave until she sticks her routine four times.

"She was throwing a really tough aerial cartwheel, but she was having trouble landing it consistently," said LeBlanc. "So we had her take it out. Since then she's consistently stuck her beam and that really helps."

Her season-best beam was a 9.05 against St. Cloud Apollo. Her top bars score was a 9.1 in the Park Rapids Invite. Her best vault was the 9.05 against Litchfield.

Sanoski's success has been because of her work within the Flyers program, a point that makes LeBlanc happy.

"She's a hometown gymnast," said LeBlanc. "Except for a few lessons she has had no club experience. Everything she's learned has been on her home turf."

It's a source of pride for Sanoski, too.

"I take a lot of pride in that," said Sanoski, who will major in elementary education at St. Cloud State University next season. "I've learned a lot just doing the community program. I started with Shelly when I was in fourth grade and started doing gymnastics when I was in first grade."

Other notable performances

Basketball: Staci Kallis, Little Falls, scored 22 points against Bemidji.

Kendra Hilmerson, Little Falls, had 24 points against St. Cloud Apollo.

Katie Kimman, Pierz, had 22 points, seven rebounds and four steals against Rockford.

Loraine Endres, Wadena-Deer Creek, finished with 22 points and 10 rebounds against Menahga.

Cayla Collison, Verndale, scored 22 points against New York Mills.

Naomi Anderson, Pine River-Backus, had 17 points and 10 rebounds against Cass Lake-Bena.

Nordic: Melissa Kempenich, Little Falls, won the Central Lakes Conference classic title with a first-place time of 17:47.

JEREMY MILLSOP can be reached at jeremy.millsop@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5856.