Senior Autumn Schmidt and her teammates on the Lakeville South gymnastics team had to overcome a number of obstacles this season.

The Cougars – ranked No. 1 in the final 2023-24 Minnesota Girls Gymnastics Coaches Association rankings – had to deal with the season-ending loss of senior leader Alexa Drew when she suffered a dislocated elbow, two broken arms and other injuries after a fall on the uneven bars on Jan. 9.

Then, of course, there was the matter of getting through the Section 1-2A meet – a competition that also featured Owatonna, ranked No. 2 in the state.

“I think (beating them) is really what got us to this headspace,” Schmidt said. “We felt like if we could get past them, we could get past anybody.”

That was demonstrated Friday night when Lakeville South finished with a team score of 147.400 to win the Class 2A state team competition at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

Cretin-Derham Hall/Minnehaha Academy/Mounds Park Academy finished in second place with a score of 144.900. Hopkins was third (144.450) and Forest Lake finished in fourth place (144.425).

But it was the Cougars who succeeded in bringing home the first state team title in program history. In fact, this season marked just the third time Lakeville South has qualified for state as a team, having finished second in Class A in 2006 and fourth in Class 2A in 2008.

“We’ve come within tenths of a point of coming here,” Cougars coach Dusty Rotegard said. “So (getting to state) was kind of a big deal. That was our big push this season.”

And once that happened, Schmidt said her team was just riding the momentum.

“It was time to do what we’ve been doing all season,” said Schmidt, who recorded her team’s high score on both the balance beam (9.5) and uneven bars (9.45) Friday.

“There’s always a little bit of nerves. But tonight was just kind of fun and relaxing. Exciting too. I mean this is the first time we’ve ever won state.”

Drew, who has been helping coach her teammates, said she admired the way the Cougars pulled together after her injury.

“I’m so incredibly proud of every one of these girls who stepped up in my place,” she said.

Both Schmidt and Drew are hoping this is just the beginning. Younger gymnasts like freshman Piper Keith, who recorded her team’s high score on vault (9.55) Friday and eighth-grader Julia Olson, who tied with Keith in the floor exercise with a score of 9.4, are among those gymnasts ready to help carry Lakeville South forward into the future.

“We have such a young team,” Schmidt said. “And all the girls are so capable of getting themselves back here the next few seasons. I’m just so happy I got to be part of the first one.

“Hopefully, we can light the fire and have it continue on.”

Becker wins in Class A

Becker won the first gymnastics state title in program history, claiming the Class A crown with a score of 143.575.

The co-op of Watertown-Mayer/Mound-Westonka came in second with a score of 142.250. Mankato West placed third (142.150).

The Bulldogs – making their ninth trip to state since 2007, but first since 2017 – posted the top scores in vault and floor, with the second-best score on beam and the third-best mark on bars.

Becker’s balance shined throughout the meet. Eighth-grader Maggie Graning posted the team’s best scores on vault (9.250) and floor (9.425) while sophomore Karli Kirk (8.9) paced the team on bars and senior Lauren Woelfel (9.325) led the way on beam.