HN tops Jay

The Patriots fell Tuesday to their main sectional rival. But, competing without their all-around leader, they proved the still belong among the tournament’s best.
With Katie Snyder out of the lineup, host Jay County fell just short of 100 points with a 99.725. The No. 20 Huntington North Vikings won with 103.575 points, and Daleville was third with 88.825.
Wapahani also participated in the meet, but did not have enough athletes for a team score.
“I think the girls did pretty well,” said JCHS coach Lora Schlosser, adding that she hopes her team can hit triple digits at its next meet. “They improved on their team score from Saturday’s meet. .. The girls pulled together, so I was pleased with that.
“We’ve just got to keep going.”
Snyder, the team’s scorer on every event, suffered a broken arm at Saturday’s Connersville Invitational.
She was performing a turn on the high bar, missed her grip and fell to the mats below. She broke both bones in her left forearm in two places and had surgery later in the day.It took two plates and 12 screws to repair the injury, and the sophomore said Tuesday that doctors told her the recovery time would be six to eight weeks. That means that her season is over, but Schlosser said Snyder’s attitude has helped the team move on.
“She’s definitely positive,” said Schlosser of the 2010 state qualifier on the vault. “She’s just ready to get this done so she can start working out. She’s planning on conditioning her legs so she can stay ready for track.”
Norwegian foreign exchange student Nikita Gundersen took the lead role Tuesday, posting a pair of second-place finishes.
She posted her high score of the night on the balance beam, where a “side somi” — an aerial side somersault — gave her a two-tenths bonus on the way to an 8.3. She added an 8.675 to finish as the runner-up on the floor exercise.
Gundersen was second to Huntington North’s Jessica Baker, who was also first on the bars, on both events.
“She’s evolving,” said Schlosser of Gundersen, who also had scores of 8.55 on the vault and 8.3 on the uneven bars. “She’s put in some more difficulty. She’s got a little more confidence in herself. She’s performing well.”
Senior Kristen Ainsworth finished in a tie for third place with an 8.7 on the vault, and joined Gundersen and freshman Tasya Smith in scoring for the Patriots on all three events.
She added a no-fall beam routine for an 8.45, and scored a 7.95 on the bars. Her first home performance of her new, more up-tempo, floor routine resulted in an 8.4.
“She’s more comfortable with it,” said Schlosser. “She feels like it’s more her than using the old music. It’s more her style. She can get more in a groove in it.
“I think by just keeping it clean she’s improving.”
Smith’s top score came with an 8.55 on the vault, and she added an 8.05 on the floor. She added a 7.95 on the bars and a 7.125 on the balance beam.
With Snyder out, Patriot junior Cortney Myers made an impact on the vault. She was the No. 2 scorer for the team on the event with an 8.6.
“She’s proven herself there,” said Schlosser. “She’s been in the mid-8s this season. … She’s helped (on vault). And I think before long her bars will be the next one we look to.”
Stephanie Freeman joined Baker in sweeping the first-place finishes for Huntington North, scoring a 9.15 to win the vault. Olivia Eckert was second on the vault, and Macy Good finished third.
Daleville’s Kaitlin McMullen finished second on the bars. Chelsea McMullen was third on the floor, and Marissa Bryan placed third on the beam.
In junior varsity events, Olivia Cash won the floor exercise for Jay County with a 7.85. Lauren Runkle was first with a 6.3 on the balance beam.[[In-content Ad]]