Patriots top Delta

The Patriots put up their best score of the season Monday. And one of their leaders is closing in on the best vault score in team history.

Led by Katie Snyder's effort on the vault and a pair of event wins from Nadlie Runyon, the Jay County High School gymnastics team defeated the visiting Delta Eagles 101.7-83.9.

The previous high score for the season was a 101.45 Jan. 11 in a loss to No. 12 Carroll.

"We've seen improvement on our beam, which is good. We're staying on," said coach Lora Schlosser of the improved team score. "Floor ... overall I've seen some improvement, and I think there is room for more. ... Vault I think we were pretty solid."

Snyder leads that solid group of vaulters.

The freshman solidly landed both of her attempts Monday, first with a Tsukahara (quarter turn into a back somersault) in the tuck position and the second in the pike position. Her score of 9.5 was easily good for first place and left her just 0.075 points short of Danae Klatt's school record.

Her score led a sweep on the event as Kristen Ainsworth posted an 8.8 and Lexie Rowles added an 8.775.

"She's a powerhouse," said Schlosser of Snyder. "I think that's why (she scores so well). She's explosive.

"(Rowles') vault is good. They're nice and clean, very clean. We're trying to upgrade that ... by adding another half turn."

Runyon scored an impressive win on the floor exercise, taking the top spot in the event by nearly a full point with a 9.1. Snyder was second with an 8.3, and Melynda Brackman continued her success on the event with an 8.25.

"She's upgraded the skill level in her routine," said Schlosser of Brackman. "She's doing great on floor. I'm really impressed.

"Her floor has come a long way."

Although it is still their weakest overall event, the Patriots took the top two spots on the uneven bars.

Runyon took with win as she smoothly hit both of her Giants and turned in a solid landing on her twisting dismount for an 8.45. Snyder followed in second with an 8.35.

Yorktown's Kaycee Acree, competing as an individual, took third place on the event. She also won the balance beam competition and tied for the second with Ainsworth on the vault.

Ainsworth had the No. 3 score for JCHS on the bars with a 7.75.

Schlosser has noted that she hopes to be scoring three solid 8s on the bars by the end of the season.

"It's just going to be cleaning it up," she said, "taking out the stops and cleaning up the overall form and execution."

In addition to her vault win, Snyder also had the top score for the Patriots on the balance beam. She was solid throughout and turned in a no-fall routine for a second-place score of 8.5 behind Acree.

Runyon's lone fall came on her back tuck, but she hit a pair of back flips in a solid overall routine to take third place with an 8.325. Rowles added a 7.6 to complete the Patriots scoring on the event.

"Our varsity has started hitting," said Schlosser. "They're landing their bigger skills. I think having down time last week, not competing, really helped.

"They just came in here and got a lot of repetition."

Junior varsity

Jenna Barber led Jay County to a team score of 80.675.

Barber's 8.75 was good for first place on the vault, and Lexie Rowles added a 7.3 to win the floor.

Melynda Brackman took the top spot on the beam with a 7.2, and Cortney Myers was first on bars with a 5.65.[[In-content Ad]]