Inspired Blue Dukes gymnasts win Bradley Invite

With program founder and invitational namesake Bob Bradley being inducted into the Whitefish Bay Hall of Fame the same weekend, it simply had to be that the Whitefish Bay girls gymnastics team would win the Bradley Invitational with a season-best score on Saturday.

"There was a lot of alumni there and we had a reception for Bob afterward, too," current Blue Dukes coach Mary Liniewski said. "We also had pictures taken. I know he had thanked all of us (at the induction ceremonies Friday). … In the end, we just wanted to do well for him. The nice thing about it is that we exceeded our goals despite the fact that the girls are not at their peak yet."

That is still coming.

The Blue Dukes start their push toward another state crown when they look for their fourth title in a row in the North Shore/Greater Metro Conference meet at 4 p.m. Friday.

Rising from the depths

This current run began with a low point a few weeks ago, when the Blue Dukes seemed disjointed and out of focus in Liniewski's eyes.

"I chewed them out in separate practices," she said. "I told them that they were falling apart and that this was not the way we do things. We couldn't worry about what other people were doing especially Maggie (team leader Anderson). We had to elevate ourselves as a team."

Slim victory

That the Blue Dukes did, turning in a total of 142.15 points in the 10-team, Red Division of the Bradley, which was a scant 0.2 of a point ahead of runner-up Sheboygan (141.95).

Anderson tied for the all-around title (36.25) to lead the way. She was also second on the uneven bars (9.175) and third on vault (9.4). Other places for Bay included Tessa Hansen talking second on balance beam (9.25), Lucy Anzia earning seventh on beam (8.95) and Kelly Danek claiming fifth in the all-around (35.1), seventh in floor exercise (9.1) and eighth on the bars (8.65).

"We're now working from a good place, with a lot of confidence," Liniewski said. "A very good meet where the girls finally pulled their act all together."