TACOMA — Though none of North’s four state representative gymnasts found their way onto the podium at the WIAA State Gymnastics Championships, they observed what it takes to get there.

And that experience should bode well for next year as three of the four NK state competitors will be returning to lead a solid squad.

Seniors Katie Bale (who qualified for state on the balance beam), Erin Murphy and Brittany Meek will be departing the NK team, which took its Narrows division title this year, but junior state tumblers Kai Morrow and Whitney Glebe along with sophomore stater Alice Pittack will return.

“We had a great time at state and the girls did a good job,” said NK coach Kris Goodfellow. “In all, it has been one of the best seasons I have coached and I am excited to start again in November.”

In Tacoma Feb. 17 and 18, the Lady Vikes were pitted against the best competition from around the state and only Morrow — who was also a state participant last year — came close to making the 4A finals.

She was competing in three events — bars, beam and floor — but it was on the floor where she nearly tumbled into the championship round. She finished in a five-way tie for 24th place with a score of 9.275, which was just .225 points out.

On the bars, Morrow tied for 49th in the middle of the pack with a 7.65 and on the beam, she balanced in the middle of the field, tying for 50th with a score of 8.450.

Bale struggled with illness and two falls to score 7.4 on the beam.

Along with Morrow on the bars, Glebe scored a 7.275 good enough to reach 66th place, and on the vault, Pittack scored an 8.65 for 46th place.

In the overall individual finals Carrie Dragland of Bothell took the vault title with a score of 9.825 as well as the beam title with 9.525 points. On the bars, Alyssa Click of Skyview took first with a 9.650 performance and in the floor event Raquel Turnbow was crowned state champ with a score of 9.675.

Team wise, Bothell earned the 2006 state championship with 178.85 points. Auburn-Riverside took second with 176.425 overall and Skyview landed third with 174.175.