A shot at state

When Katie Snyder fell from the high bar at the Connersville Invitational and suffered a broken arm that brought an end to her season, it seemed that the Patriots’ chances of advancing a gymnast to the state finals ended as well.
That is not the case.
Nikita Gundersen, Jay County’s foreign exchange student from Norway, solidified her status as a contender for a state berth with her effort at Saturday’s sectional meet.
Based on sectional scores, she is the No. 3 seed on the balance beam for the regional meet Friday evening at Huntington North. The Patriots will compete along with top-ranked Bishop Dwenger, No. 6 Northrop, Snider, Huntington North and Muncie Central beginning at 6 p.m.
The top six competitors on each event and the all-around, and the top two teams, will advance to the state finals.
“I think it’s definitely a possibility,” said JCHS coach Lora Schlosser, who took Snyder (vault) and then-senior Nadlie Runyon (all-around) to the state finals last season. “It all depends on (who falls) …
“The (sectional) score was her best of the season, but was it her most solid routine? No. And she would agree to that too. So we’re hoping to have her hit her solid routine that she can do with her extra difficult that she has in there. She’s very capable of scoring a nine and going on to state.”
Gundersen’s chance at a state berth comes on the most fickle event in the sport.
Balance beam can be extremely unpredictable, with one fall — an automatic half-point deduction — making a drastic difference and scores fluctuating from meet-to-meet and year-to-year. For example, Runyon posted a career-high 9.6 on the balance beam in 2009 and finished as the regional runner-up. A year later she placed second again, after finishing out of the top six at the sectional, with a 9.2.
Only one gymnast — Huntington North’s Jessica Baker (9.5) — was better than Gundersen at the Muncie Central sectional as she scored a career-high 9.175. And Snider’s Danielle Guitard, the sectional champion at Concordia with a 9.25, is the only other gymnast seeded in front of her for the regional.
“It would be exciting,” said Gundersen of the possibility of a state berth.
She could become the second JCHS foreign exchange student to advance to the state finals this winter, joining Charlotte Becot (France), who advanced to the IHSAA Girls Swimming State Finals as part of the Patriots’ 200-yard freestyle relay team.
“I think it would be great,” said Schlosser. “It would definitely go down in the history books for Jay County. Not too many of our gymnasts that have been here for years can make it on to state, so to have a foreign exchange student come in here and (do it) would be impressive.”
The chance at the school’s first team state finals berth isn’t in the cards this season with Bishop Dwenger (109.05) as the heavy favorite and Huntington North (104.475), Northrop (104.5) and Snider (103.075) battling for the other spot. But the Patriots, who scored a season-low 98.05 at the sectional, still have some goals in front of them.
“Definitely we need to improve on our team score from sectional,” said Schlosser. “I was really hoping to have our group still break 100. I’m hoping that they can do that, because they were real close the last couple meets (before sectional).”
It will also likely be the final opportunity to perform for seniors Kristen Ainsworth and Melynda Brackman. Ainsworth will be an all-around competitor for JCHS while Brackman, who suffered an ankle injury in January, will be limited to the balance beam.
“I just want to not fall on anything,” said Ainsworth. “I want to stick all of my routines.”
At the sectional meet, Ainsworth was ninth on both the floor exercise and uneven bars while Brackman posted a 5.725 on her lone event.
“Kristen … I’d like for her to finish strong and solid,” said Schlosser. “I’d like to see Melynda get a nice solid score (on beam), since that’s the only event that she’s doing.”
For the other gymnasts competing — juniors Cortney Myers and Shelby Pryor and freshman Tasya Smith — the meet provides an opportunity to compete against state-caliber athletes and gain valuable experience.
“It’s really important for them to see what’s out there,” said Schlosser. “They can watch those other girls, see some of those skills. … Hopefully it’ll give them some goals to reach, see what’s there.”[[In-content Ad]]