Full team performance secured history

Editors note: In more than six years, Chris Schanz has seen his fair share of individual performances, whether in a single contest or over the course of a career. In this “Exceptional Efforts” series, he will take a look back at some of those standout games or careers.

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It was not uncommon to see a Jay County gymnast represent the Patriots at the state meet.

Dawn Ogden was a back-to-back state qualifier in 2000 and and ’01. Hannah Williams did it consecutively as well in 2005 and ’06. Katie Snyder also went twice, reaching the final meet of the season in both 2012 and ’13.

Between Williams and Snyder, Nadlie Ruyon qualified in 2010.

So it wasn’t an oddity to see a Patriot advance through the state series.

But they had never done it as a team.

That is, until 2014, of course.

Paced by a senior, a junior and two freshmen, Jay County outperformed six other teams at the sectional meet, placing third in a stacked field that included Bishop Dwenger, which was third place at state the previous year.

Dwenger ended up claiming the sectional championship in convincing fashion, totaling 112.2 points, nearly six points head of runner-up Carroll.

Tasya Smith, a senior, and freshman Lizzy Schoenlein were the only two Jay County gymnasts to finish in the top six in an event that day. Schoenlein tied for second on floor exercise and was sixth in the all-around competition, and Smith was sixth on uneven bars.

Schoenlein and Smith helped the Patriots score 102.175 points, finishing a full point ahead of another northeast Indiana powerhouse, Homestead.

The top three teams advance to the regional, which was set for Huntington North.

At the March 14, 2014, regional, Jay County was in for a competition. With the top three teams qualifying for the state finals, it was going to be a race for third.

After three rotations, the Patriots were sitting in third place with 77-05 points Lakeland was fourth with 75.275 points, and DeKalb was close behind with 74.475.

Jay County had the balance beam left to go, and DeKalb was set to approach the vault. It turned out to be the worst event of the day for the Patriots, and the best for the Barons.

A couple of falls hampered the Patriots, who scored 24.9 on the apparatus for an overall total of 101.95.

The Jay County’s day was done. But it had to wait for DeKalb, which was in fifth place after each of the first three rotations, finish up on vault. The team patiently waited in the stands and watched to see if the Barons could close the gap.

A 27.25 for DeKalb caused it to leap Lakeland, but it left the Barons with 101.725 points.

For the first time in program history, the entire squad was heading to the state finals.

“I was excited for the girls and excited for Jay County to be represented at state,” said Lora Schlosser, the team’s coach. “I looked over and saw the scores and didn’t realize how close we were.”

Another tall task stood in front of the Patriots at the state finals. The runner-up from 2013, Valparaiso, was the top-seeded squad. Bishop Dwenger, two years removed from its fourth state championship, was the No. 2 seed, and Columbus North — it went on to win the state title two years later — was third.

Jay County was last out of nine teams.

At Ball State University’s Worthen Arena, Jay County wasn’t able to match its regional score and totaled 101.25 points to place ninth. Valparaiso backed up its top seed by winning its 10th state championship with 111.85 points. Dwenger and Columbus North matched their seeds as well in the final results.

Junior Malarie Houck was an all-around gymnast along with Schoenlein and Smith. Freshmen Maddie Strausburg and Jocelyn Huey as well as junior Rhianon Mills all competed in single events throughout the state series.

It was an all-hands-on-deck approach for Jay County, and the full team performance that Friday evening at regional put the squad where no other JCHS gymnastics team had been before, or has yet to go since.