An all-around talent (03/16/06)

One performance on the floor. Two flips over the vault. A few spins around the bars. One walk along the beam.

That is what remains of Hannah Williams’ gymnastics career at Jay County.

Williams will close out her outstanding run at Saturday’s IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals at Perry Meridian in Indianapolis, beginning at 1 p.m.

She knows no matter what happens, a great chapter in her life is coming to an end. She’ll miss the teammates and coaches who have surrounded her the last four years of her life.

“I’m sad,” said Williams, who is considering continuing her athletic career at Ball State, at practice Tuesday. “I’m not ready for it to be over. Even if I go on to do college gymnastics, it won’t be the same.”

Still, Williams has a chance to end her career on the highest of high notes. She was the state runner-up — to Megan Cherry of Hobart — last season on the balance beam.

There are a lot of variables in gymnastics, and it’s hard to know what judges are going to think. But Williams has a chance — on beam, floor exercise and in the all-around — to be on the state podium again.

A state title is not out of the question, but JCHS coach Kristin Millspaugh doesn’t want any of those things to be her athlete’s focus.

“I think there’s an expectation because of placing second last year that she should place again and she should have a good chance at winning,” said Millspaugh. “I don’t want that to be her focus. I don’t want her to feel that kind of pressure.

“My biggest goal for her is to have another consistent day, four solid events. She’s been more consistent this year than anything. I’d just like to see her finish her career on a high note.”

In terms of specific goals, Williams would like to hit her straddle back on the bars. It’s been what she’s focused the most on in practice over the last several weeks, and could add two tenths of a point to her score.

She’s also working on laying out her Tsukahara on vault — worth another two tenths — and she may add a twist to her front tumbling pass on the floor.

It won’t take long for her to see the results Saturday. She’ll lead off the state competition on the floor and be the lead competitor for her rotation on each event.

“I’m glad to be there again,” Williams said. “I’d like to get a medal again. I’d like to get my best all-around score. That’ll be hard at state, but I’d like to try.”

The senior has succeeded in most things she’s tried.

Just this season she won Olympic Athletic Conference all-around and floor exercise titles. She was best at the Muncie Central sectional on the floor, beam, bars and all-around.

She was the only gymnast at the Huntington North regional, which included top-ranked defending champion Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, to place in all four events. She was second in the regional all-around.

In her career she’s won four conference titles, including all-around crowns during her freshman and senior seasons. And she set the OAC record with a 9.55 on the floor this year.

Williams has dominated the sectional, winning three consecutive all-around titles.

She’s swept the floor exercise during the last four seasons, winning 11 sectional crowns in all.

She holds Jay County school records for both the floor exercise (9.7) and balance beam (9.55). She led the top balance beam team of all time as a sophomore — joined by then seniors Amanda Knight and Kayla Smith — which scored a 26.65 at the 2004 sectional meet. She’s second in Patriot history on the bars (9.5) and third on the vault (9.35).

And she’s come extremely close to setting the school’s all-around record. Dawn Ogden hold’s the mark at 37.5, and Williams has scored a 37.225 this season.

Jay County has seen its share of talented gymnasts, but none of their tournament accomplishments stand up against Williams. This will be her second trip to Indianapolis as an all-around competitor, and she finished 11th on the beam during her freshman season.

“Hannah has worked harder and harder each year,” said Millspaugh of Williams, who was 12th in the state all-round last season, 16th on floor, 22nd on beam and 27th on vault. “She’s gotten more and more consistent. She’s gone out of her way to get stronger each year. Hannah takes advantage of every opportunity she can to get better.”

Millspaugh will definitely miss Williams when she walks away. But hopefully she has left a legacy which will carry on long after she dismounts the beam for the final time as a Patriot at Perry Meridian Saturday.

“My hope is the rest of the team has learned from Hannah and (fellow senior) Heather (Stevens) both how to put others first and still be successful yourself,” said Millspaugh. “They’ve both been able to do that.”[[In-content Ad]]