Just shy again

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FORT WAYNE — Less than a tenth of a point.

Patriot senior Karlie Bullard was 0.075 away from making regional in the floor exercise as a junior.

She spent her senior season filling her routine with more skills and a higher degree of difficulty as well in hopes of closing that gap and taking the next step.

Bullard had the best performance of the season on Saturday.

It turned out to be her last.

Bullard, a Jay County High School senior, put together the best floor routine of the season to gain more than a point on her score from last year, but her 9.4 was a mere 0.05 short of the sixth and final regional qualifying spot from the IHSAA gymnastics sectional at Concordia.

“I went into floor knowing this could be my last ever routine so I just decided to put my whole heart into it knowing whatever happens, happens,” said Bullard, who helped the Patriots place fifth as a team, an improvement of two spots from last season. “I'm very pleased with my performance and score. I gave it my all and did the best I possibly could.

“The biggest thing that matters to me is I improved … While I'm sad t's over I'm very proud of all of us for how much we improved this season.”

Homestead totaled 109.25 to win the team title, knocking off last year's champ and runner-up Carroll (108.325). Bishop Dwenger was third at 106.95.

Jay County totaled 100.275 for fifth.

The top three teams and top six individuals in each event advance to the regional March 1 at Huntington North.

“Fourth place would have been perfect for me had we had a perfect day,” JCHS coach Jill Ranly said. “You can't always expect that at sectional. Fifth place, I'm pretty happy with fifth place. Breaking 100, for these girls, they've worked really hard and they made a lot of changes to make today happen.

“They get all the credit for that.”

Heading into the final rotation after already completing her floor routine, Bullard was sitting sixth overall behind three from Carroll and two from Homestead.

Bishop Dwenger junior, the eventual champion, climbed up to the top spot, pushing Bullard out of the top six. Huntington North junior Aleah Eckert, the final competitor on the floor in the fourth rotation, posted a 9.55 to tie for third to bump Bullard to eighth.

Despite not knowing exactly where she'd finish, Bullard said she was nervous but ready to accept the result.

“At the same time I wasn't worried too much about whether I made it through or not,” said Bullard, who scored a career-best 8.8 on vault to tie for 16th with teammate Kenzie Ring, was 23rd on uneven bars (7.1) and 25th on balance beam (7.9). “I was just over the moon that I executed my skills well and got the score I got.

“Our sectional is very tough and there are so many amazing girls competing. Being able to perform to the best of my abilities and receive that type of score is so amazing.”

Bullard's all-around total of 33.2 was 14th, three spots behind Ring's 33.475.

Ring, a sophomore earned 7.925 on bars for 15th. She was also 16th on floor (8.55) and 19th on beam as the only Patriot to stay on the 4-inch wide apparatus.

“Kenzie had a good day,” Ranly said. “She was one that managed to stay on the beam and her bar routine was pretty good. Finishing 11th at sectional was a good place to be for Kenzie.”

Riley Leavell, a senior, was 24th on both vault (8.6) and floor (career-best 8.2). She was also 31st on beam (7.325) and bars (5.85). Her all-around total of 29.975 placed 18th.

Senior Randi Ferguson notched a career-best on floor as well with an 8.55. She also totaled 7.9 on vault, her only other event.

Junior Halle Hill, who has missed more than three weeks with an ankle injury, competed only on bars and beam. She earned an 8.05 for 12th on bars, and was 23rd on beam with a 7.95 despite falling twice.

“She's really tough and I know she was disappointed,” Ranly said. “She would have loved to stay on the beam. Given she's only been on the beam the last two days I thought she did a really nice job considering where she finished.”