ESCANABA — The Escanaba Eskymos gymnastics team earned a win in their home gym Saturday at the Elks Invitational, setting a new school record score of 134.100.

The result was a bit unexpected after how the day started for the Eskymos, said coach Theresa Pascoe.

“As we started it odd I thought we were going to have more of a slower day because the girls got on floor at eight o’clock this morning and they were like, ‘this is not working Mrs. P,’ so I wasn’t really sure how floor was going to go,” Pascoe said. “But, as we picked up and we got to go to bars and do our warmups and beam and vault they pulled it all together and came through. I’m very, very, excited for all of us.”

Escanaba took four of the top five spots in all-around led by Sophia Wagner (34.050), who placed first.

Lizzy Sliva (33.150), Bridget Bichler (32.850) and Caitlyn Davenport (32.800) placed third through fifth.

The only non-Escanaba gymnast in the top five was Superior 7’s Riley Erickson, who placed second with a score of 33.3.

Wagner also placed first in beam with a score of 9 ahead of teammate Riley Martin and S7’s Erickson, who tied for second at 8.350. Bichler (8.300), Sophie Lehto (8.250) and Sliva (8.05) were the rest of the top finishers.

Martin (8.00), Sliva (7.800), Wagner (7.600) and Davenport (7.500) placed second through fifth in bars behind S7’s Erickson, who had a score of 8.1.

In both floor and vault, the Eskymos took the top three spots with Wagner (8.65), Davenport (8.5) and Bichler (8.35) — tied with Erickson in third — ahead of Marquette’s Helena Sharp and Ava Porter — both at 8.250 — and Anabel Olliala (8.2) in floor.

For vault, it was Sliva (9.2), Davenport (8.900) in first and second, with Bichler and Wagner tied for third at 8.800. S7’s Erickson (8.500) and Marquette’s Porter (8.400) rounded out the finishers in the event.

For Pascoe, each of her gymnasts stands out for their own reasons and brings something unique to the team.

“They all stand out to me. They just do,” she said. “They all have their own unique skills that they do different than other gymnasts do, and I think that’s what helps them to stand out.”

The Escanaba team is currently celebrating its 50th year of competition, 38 of which Pascoe has been a part of. She hopes the program can stay alive through funding is hard to come by.

“We are trying and doing our best as a self-funded team and have been since 2013,” she said. “Each year, and with the pandemic, it seems to be getting tighter and tighter. But, we’re going to go back and try for another round to get some more school support for it.”

A busy pair of weeks are ahead for the Eskymos, and it kicks off Wednesday as they host Negaunee. That meet will also be parents’ night in the high school gym.

From there, they travel downstate Friday to Grand Ledge, Saturday in Coldwater. They’ll come home for four days then go back down for two meets in Vasser on Feb. 24 and Feb. 26. They return to the U.P. for GNC’s right away after the Vasser competition on Feb. 28.

“I’m just so proud of the girls and how they come together,” Pascoe said. “When one girl does a skill and someone else sees it and they want it we tell them to go after it. That’s how we’re getting higher scores.

“I can’t say enough about this group of young ladies. They have it, and they want it.”

Results

Team — Escanaba: 134.1, Marquette: 118.500, Superior 7: 88.350, Negaunne: 79.35.

All-around — Wagner (E – 34.050), Erickson (S7 – 33.3), Sliva (E – 33.150), Bichler (E- 32.850), Davenport (E – 32.800)

Beam — Wagner (E – 9), Martin (E – 8.350), Erickson (S7 – 8.350), Bichler (E – 8.300), Lehto (E – 8.250), Sliva (E – 8.05).

Bars — Erickson (S7 – 8.1), Martin (E – 8.00), Sliva (E – 7.800), Wagner (E – 7.600), Davenport (E — 7.500).

Floor — Wagner (E — 8.65), Davenport (E — 8.5), Bichler (E — 8.35), Erickson (S7 — 8.35), Sharp (M — 8.250), Porter (M — 8.250), Olliala (M — 8.2).

Vault — Sliva (E — 9.2), Davenport (E — 8.900), Bichler (E – 8.800), Wagner (E — 8.800), Erickson (S7 — 8.500), Porter (M — 8.400).