Valley Podiums on Beam; Baraboo Shines at D2 State Gymnastics Meet
WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. — Baraboo closed its season on the state stage on Saturday as Zeva Valley delivered a podium performance on beam and a top-10 all-around finish at the WIAA Division 2 Individual State Gymnastics Meet at Lincoln High School. This competition featured 58 athletes from 29 programs, the Thunderbirds were led by Valley, along with solid efforts from Taytum Poker and Hadley Porter.
Valley secured a fifth-place podium finish on balance beam, giving Baraboo a medalist in one of the meet’s deepest and most pressure-packed events. She added a 10th-place finish in the all-around, placing her among the state’s top Division 2 gymnasts across all four apparatus. Her performance came in a field paced by all-around champion Gabrielle Bjorkman of Sparta, who won the title with a 37.133.
On beam, Valley navigated the four-inch apparatus with the kind of composure that has anchored Baraboo’s lineups all season. In a session highlighted by Marshfield’s Jazlyn Kurth posting the top beam score of 9.433, Valley’s 9.05 routine stood out for its consistency and secure landings, earning a place on the awards stand and providing the Thunderbirds with a signature moment in the meet.
Baraboo also received key contributions from Poker and Porter, who helped the Thunderbirds remain competitive in a stacked state field. Poker and Porter added important depth on multiple events and gained valuable state-level experience against some of Wisconsin’s best, including Bjorkman, River Falls’ Ruby Amundson and Dodgeville’s Madelyn Klein. Porter placed 20th on Floor and 21st in the All Around, while Poker placed 25th on beam.
For the Thunderbirds, Valley’s presence on the beam podium and in the top 10 all-around capped a season of steady growth and positioned Baraboo well for future success. With Poker, Porter and Valley gaining another high-pressure postseason test, Baraboo leaves Wisconsin Rapids with both tangible results and momentum as the program looks ahead to returning athletes building on this year’s state experience.
