Austin Packers gymnastics team third at Mankato Invitational

The Austin Packers gymnastics team took to the road Monday evening for a three-team Big 9 Conference invitational at K & G Gymnastics in Mankato with the West Scarlets and the East Cougars, and it was Mankato West taking first in the team competition with a total of 140.618, Mankato East was second with a team total of 133.231 and Austin was third with a total of 125.691.

High finishers for the Packers Monday evening included Katelynn Klouse, who was sixth in the all-around with a score of 32.275, Kate Oelfke was fifth for Austin on the vault with a score of 8.75, Klouse took fifth on the balance beam with a score of 8.7 and Reese Norton registered a sixth place finish on the floor exercise with a score of 8.55.

The Packers are now off for the holiday break, and they will return to action on Saturday, January 8th at the 43rd annual Faribault Gymnastics Invitational, which will also include the host Falcons along with Anoka, Cambridge/Isanti, East Ridge, Eden Prairie, Farmington, Kasson/Mantorville, Minnetonka, Northfield, Owatonna, Rochester Century, Rochester Mayo, Rochester John Marshall, St. Michael/Albertville and Wayzata.  The action is scheduled to start at 11:15 a.m. that morning.