The Bemidji High gymnastics team is at Buffalo today to compete in the Section 8AA tournament.
Bemidji moved up two spots last year into fifth place with a 135.15 finish, just a hair behind Moorhead at 135.825.
Coach Don Papreck has his sights on the team making the next jump into fourth.
The top three remain out of reach with St. Cloud Tech, Brainerd and Sauk Rapids scoring in the 140's. Tech won last year at 147.7, five points ahead of the Warriors.
Bemidji has finished as high as fourth only once in 2001 and been fifth on three other occasions.
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This was the year the gymnasts hoped to crack the 140 mark and challenge the section leaders.
But injuries that ended the careers of Kim Nielsen and Jamie Thompson and limited Kelley Frost to a late start, wiped out those plans.
But Papreck has brought the young team on steadily all year to where it has been in the 130's nine straight times with a high of 136.175 at Park Rapids and over135 on two other occasions.
He will have all around performers in Dani Paris, Pearl Walker, Amy Hambrecht and Tessa Comstock and Frost in all but the floor exercise. Amy Sycks will replace her in that event.
Last year's score was the highest Bemidji has ever recorded at the sectional.
The top four individuals in all four events plus all around advance to the state meet at St. Paul next weekend.
Bemidji has had only one state qualifier, Stephanie Kroeger earning a spot on the balance beam in 2001.
Paris narrowly missed a trip last year with a fifth on the vault at 9.350.
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Paris has paced the team all season with six finishes over 35 topped by a school record 36.35 at the Grand Rapids triangular.
