Following up last week’s sixth place finish at the Highlander Invitational, the Homestead girls gymnastics team travels to Hartland for a 10:30 a.m. invitational against Arrowhead’s red team.

Just two teams compete this time as Arrowhead and Homestead face off for the second time in a week’s span. Last time both teams met were in the Highlander Invitational which hosted 17 teams. Homestead rose to the occasion and took sixth place with a total team score of 131.  Arrowhead attempted to protect its title from last year but fell just short as it placed second on Saturday.

“We did extremely well. Our goal was to earn a team score of 130 and we scored a 131 despite an interruption from the fire alarm, All the girls really stepped up to the plate, and we accomplished our goal with flying colors,” Nia Feaster, senior, said.

Leaders from last week’s meet included Puhl, who tied for seventh on her floor routine with a 9.35, and Ellie Trau, junior, tied for fourteenth on beam with an 8.925 and took seventeenth on bars with an 8.3.

“Things just all came together,” Tori Puhl, senior, said about last week’s meet. That is what Homestead will aim for again, as it has gradually improved over the course of the season. Homestead started off the season with a victory over Grafton and Cedarburg. However, it fell in its next two meets against Nicolet and West Allis Combined but is now coming off a strong performance in its own invitational.

“We mostly have all of the skills, but are a little behind in perfecting and cleaning up the small parts of our routine,” Puhl said.  Gaby Geiger, junior, added, “The gymnastics team has potential this year to do some pretty great things. We hope to improve on our performances from our first couple meets.”

Homestead will have to face up against “a very solid team with a good amount of depth,” according to Puhl, but it will be up for the task as it looks to make this its best meet yet.