GYMNASTICS STATE MEET At the Maturi Sports Pavilion
CLASS 2A
Schedule: Team competition, 6 p.m. Friday; individual competition, 6 p.m. Saturday.
Team competition: Cambridge-Isanti, Champlin Park, East Ridge, Eden Prairie, Lakeville North, Owatonna, St. Cloud Tech, Stillwater.
Preview: Defending champion Lakeville North is ranked No. 1, but there are plenty of other teams with legitimate title hopes, including No. 2-ranked Stillwater, Owatonna, St. Cloud Tech, Cambridge-Isanti and Champlin Park. Champlin Park's Chaney Neu is back to defend her all-around title but will face strong challenges from Henry Sibley senior Sophie Redding, Wayzata's Grace Treanor and Lakeville North's duo of Rachel Steiner and Cali Berg.
CLASS 1A
Schedule: Team competition, 11 a.m. Friday; individual competition, 11 a.m. Saturday.
Team competition: Detroit Lakes, Mahtomedi, Pine Island/Zumbrota-Mazeppa, Sartell-St. Stephen, Waconia, Watertown-Mayer/Mound Westonka, Willmar, Worthington.
Preview: Detroit Lakes, the three-time defending champion, is the best team in the state regardless of class. The Lakers posted an impressive 152.375 in the Section 8 meet, the highest score in the state this season. It would take a collapse of gargantuan proportions for anyone else to ascend to the top of the podium.
Jim Paulsen
