Patriots advance to regional

MUNCIE — Competing without their top scorer, and with one of their seniors limited because of injury, the Patriots still proved to be one of the best teams in the area.
Jay County finished as the gymnastics sectional runner-up for the third straight season, earning its ninth consecutive regional berth with a score of 98.05 at Saturday’s tournament hosted by Muncie Central.
Huntington North successfully defended its title, running away with the meet with a winning score of 104.475. The Vikings’ effort included taking four of the top six places on the vault.
Muncie Central finished third with 90.925 points.
The top three teams will advance to the regional competition at Huntington North Friday at 6 p.m. The top six individuals on each event, and in the all-around, also earned regional berths.
“We’re bringing a bunch of new, fresh faces to regional,” said JCHS coach Lora Schlosser, whose team has just two active gymnasts — seniors Kristen Ainsworth and Melynda Brackman — who competed at the regional level last season. “The girls should give themselves a pat on the back for being part of this sectional team that has taken us to regional.”
The Patriots, who lost 2010 vault state qualifier Katie Snyder to a broken arm in mid-February, earned their regional berth despite putting up their lowest team score of the season.
In Snyder’s absence, Nikita Gundersen took the lead role for JCHS at the sectional meet.
The Norwegian foreign exchange student was the lone Patriot to place among the top six in any event, with her best effort coming on the balance beam. Although she was visibly nervous prior to the team’s first event of the day, it didn’t show after her routine started.
She nailed her side-somi — an aerial side somersault — on the way to Jay County’s only no-fall effort on the event. Her career-best score of 9.175 was good for second place behind Huntington North junior Jessica Baker.
“Nikita tends to get really worked up for every single event,” said Schlosser. “But she’s a performer. … She’s mentally strong.
“Her beam was great. We’re looking forward to ... maybe improving at regional.”
Gundersen added a fifth-place finish on the uneven bars with an 8.1, and was also fifth in the all-around at 34.025. She posted scores of 8.45 on the vault and 8.3 on the floor exercise.
In addition to her floor win, Baker also took first for Huntington North on the vault (9.6) and in the all-around (37.325). Oak Hill’s Brittany Pond had winning scores of 9.35 on the bars and 9.15 on the floor.
Smith, a freshman, narrowly missed a top-six finish on the bars for JCHS with a smooth routine as she finished seventh with a 7.7. She joined Gundersen in scoring for the Patriots on every event, adding her top score with an 8.5 on the vault despite falling on her first attempt.
“I was glad to see it,” said Schlosser of Smith’s recovery on the vault. “We were surprised when she told us she wanted to throw the harder vault. We figured she’d want to throw the easier one, just to make sure she’d nail it. … I’m glad she did well and came back strong.”
Smith also had an 8.125 on the floor, and a 7.4 on the beam.
In her final sectional competition, four-year all-around competitor Kristen Ainsworth turned in a pair of top 10 finishes. She was ninth on both the floor (8.3) and bars (7.7), and scored a 7.8 on the beam.
“Kristen did pretty much what she’s been doing all season,” said Schlosser. “She was pretty consistent. … I think she’s pleased with how she’s done.”
Junior Cortney Myers came up big for the Patriots with her effort on the vault. She had the team’s top score with her half-half, falling just five hundredths of a point short of a top-six finish with an 8.5.
“Her vault has definitely improved,” Schlosser said. “It’s really good. I’m glad she was able to lead the girls. This was her first time competing at a sectional. That was great.”
Brackman, who has been limited during the second half of the season because of an ankle injury, competed on the balance beam and posted a 5.725. Other scores for the Patriots came from Shelby Pryor (floor – 7.575), Ainsworth (vault – 8.4) and Myers (bars – 6.65).[[In-content Ad]]