JCHS should contend again

For about a decade, Jay County High School’s gymnastics team has been a contender.
It has been in the mix for a sectional title on a yearly basis. And it has consistently had an opportunity to send an athlete to the state finals.
The 2011 Patriots, who kick off their season at home Thursday against Blackford and Marion, have another strong squad that should be able to compete for those goals again.
The team starts its quest a bit later this year as the elimination of their usual mid-December meet against Heritage pushed the season opener to January.
“I personally like it better because it allows these girls more time to work on individual skills, gain the confidence to put skills in their routines and not feel so frazzled getting it all together real quick,” said JCHS coach Lora Schlosser at practice Tuesday. “I think it was a benefit.”
A pair of gymnasts who were top-six finishers at the 2010 sectional meet — senior Kristen Ainsworth and sophomore Katie Snyder — return to lead the team.
After placing sixth in the sectional vault, bars and all-around at Muncie Central, Snyder went on to tie for sixth on the vault at the Huntington North regional meet to earn a state berth. She followed up her 9.35 regional score with a 9.3 at the state finals to finish 29th in a field of 49.
Following her state experience, Snyder decided to step away from cheerleading in order to focus more time on gymnastics in hopes of earning an all-around trip this season. She’s added difficulty on all four events, including a release move on the uneven bars and stronger dance elements on the floor exercise.
“She’s a good leader coming in on vault,” said Schlosser.“She’s worked on getting more difficulty on beam, bars and floor. … So overall we should see improvement in all-around scores for her.
“I’d like to see mid-to-high eights on all events, and of course her strong mid-9 on vault. She covers on bars what (2010 all-around state qualifier Nadlie Runyon) lacked, where she doesn’t quite have on floor what Nadlie did. She’s real close. She has the potential to (advance to state all-around).”
Ainsworth returns to compete for the Patriots in all four events for the fourth straight season. She placed fifth on the bars at the sectional meet last year, and was third on the beam as a freshman.
She’s been a consistent scorer for the Patriots in all four events throughout her career, and Schlosser said she would like to see the senior take the next step in her final campaign.
“She holds back. She has a little fear,” said Schlosser. “For her senior year we want her to break out of that shell ... that’s what we’re trying to do.”
Also returning for the Patriots are Melynda Brackman and Shelby Pryor. Brackman was a top scorer for the Patriots on the floor exercise last season — she finished 16th in the sectional — and will also help the team on vault and beam this year. Pryor was one of the team’s floor competitors at the 2009 sectional, finishing 28th.
The team will add a pair of newcomers as well in Norwegian foreign exchange student Nikita Gunderson and freshman Tasya Smith, both of whom Schlosser believes will have a chance to be all-around contributors. Rounding out the lineup will be Olivia Cash, Jessi Chittum, Lauren Runkle and Cortney Myers.
“(Gunderson) is really pretty versatile,” said Schlosser. “She can do more than what she thinks.
 “She’s got big skills on bars. She does a back handspring on beam. … She’s going to be a strong competitor.
“(Smith) hasn’t been in the gymnastics world since fifth grade, so it’s been a while. … She’s got a little recovery to do, but actually she’s bringing some pretty good skills.”
The team hopes its mix of tournament experience and new talent will help have it in competition for another sectional title. The Patriots’ last crown came in 2008, and they were the runners-up to Marion in 2009 and Huntington North in 2010.
JCHS also hopes to send a gymnast to the state finals — the meet moves from Perry Meridian High School, south of Indianapolis, to Ball State University this season — for the third straight year and sixth time in since 2003.
Schlosser said she thinks team chemistry in her group of 10 will help in achieving those goals.
“Our team strength I think is our camaraderie,” she said. “They’re a good group of girls and they get along. … That leads into a good work ethic.”[[In-content Ad]]