July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Hunt leads JC over pair (01/15/08)
JCHS gymnastics
Hunt leads JC over pair (01/15/08)
By By RAY COONEY-
The Patriots weren't quite able to match their season-best effort from Saturday's Valparaiso Invitational. But they had more than enough to top both visiting teams Monday.
Jay County High School's gymnastics team put up its second-best scoring total of the year, finishing with 95.6 points to defeat the Tri Titans (78.85) and the Lincoln Golden Eagles (62.35).
After posting a 96.025 at Valparaiso, coach Kristin Millspaugh said she felt her team took a slight step backward Monday.
"We had a really good night on vault and floor," she said. "We had a great meet at Valpo ... everything was coming together. I'm not sure we maintainted that tonight, at least not as a team.
"I'd say the biggest thing is just focus. ... We just had our heads in the game Saturday."
Senior Erika Hunt led the Patriots against Tri and Lincoln, winning three of four events as the home team posted the highest score on every event. Her all-around total of 32.6 was also the best of the night.
All of her wins led Jay County sweeps, including her high score of the night with an 8.75 on the floor exercise. She was first on the uneven bars with a 7.8, and had just one fall on the balance beam to tally a 7.6.
Millspaugh said she has always pushed Hunt hard to try new things throughout her career, but backed off a bit through the course of seasons. But with this being her last chance, the philosophy has changed.
"This year I haven't really slowed down. It's her senior year, and I still see a lot more she could be doing by the end of the year," said Millspaugh of Hunt, who was also third on the vault with an 8.45. "I want her to be able to do everything she's capable of doing. ...
"She's really done a good job of handling that pressure. She's trying a new vault, and she's doing a lot of things new on bars. ... She's got a back handspring on beam ... she's stuck it twice now.
"On every single event she has something she's uncomfortable with, but she's doing a good job of ... trying to go for some things."
Fellow senior Kendra Homan joined Hunt to complete the Patriot sweep.
Homan was only scheduled to compete in one event, the vault, which she won with an 8.65. But she was a late addition to the floor after Jenny Buckland suffered an ankle injury and made the most of the opportunity with a career-best 7.65.
"Kendra had a really good night on vault, and then on floor," said Millspaugh. "That was definitely a personal best on floor for her. It was the best routine she's done."
Kristen Aisnworth, the Patriots' high scorer at Valparaiso, was the runner-up to all three of Hunt's victories. The freshman posted scores of 8.45 on the floor, 7.625 on the bars and 7.375 on the beam.
She added an 8.35 on the vault.
The only non-JCHS gymnasts to crack the top three did so on the vault, where Katie Engle of Lincoln was second at 8.5, and Brittany Knott tied Hunt for third with an 8.45.
Another senior, Kayci Ryder, completed Jay County's sweep of the floor and beam. She gave the Patriots three scores higher than 8.0 on the floor with a third-place 8.1, and was also third on the beam at 7.075.
"Kayci had a lot of good scores," said Millspaugh. "She didn't do beam at all last year, and with a small team this year she knew she had to. She's been in our top four on beam the last three meets in a row. She had a good night."
Stormi Metcalf joined Hunt and Ainsworth in the sweep of the bars, posting a third-place 7.375.
Millspaugh said she's looking forward to Wednesday meet at Connersville for several reasons. It will show the Patriots exactly what they're up against in their quest for the Olympic Athletic Conference title, and will bring and end to her team's run of six meets in the first two weeks of January.
"We go to Connersville Wednesday, and that will be the end of this meet marathon we've been having," she said. "That'll be a relief. ... That'll be good to be able to come back and watch some of the tape from some of the meets and look at the score sheets from the judges and decide where to go for the second half of the season."[[In-content Ad]]
Jay County High School's gymnastics team put up its second-best scoring total of the year, finishing with 95.6 points to defeat the Tri Titans (78.85) and the Lincoln Golden Eagles (62.35).
After posting a 96.025 at Valparaiso, coach Kristin Millspaugh said she felt her team took a slight step backward Monday.
"We had a really good night on vault and floor," she said. "We had a great meet at Valpo ... everything was coming together. I'm not sure we maintainted that tonight, at least not as a team.
"I'd say the biggest thing is just focus. ... We just had our heads in the game Saturday."
Senior Erika Hunt led the Patriots against Tri and Lincoln, winning three of four events as the home team posted the highest score on every event. Her all-around total of 32.6 was also the best of the night.
All of her wins led Jay County sweeps, including her high score of the night with an 8.75 on the floor exercise. She was first on the uneven bars with a 7.8, and had just one fall on the balance beam to tally a 7.6.
Millspaugh said she has always pushed Hunt hard to try new things throughout her career, but backed off a bit through the course of seasons. But with this being her last chance, the philosophy has changed.
"This year I haven't really slowed down. It's her senior year, and I still see a lot more she could be doing by the end of the year," said Millspaugh of Hunt, who was also third on the vault with an 8.45. "I want her to be able to do everything she's capable of doing. ...
"She's really done a good job of handling that pressure. She's trying a new vault, and she's doing a lot of things new on bars. ... She's got a back handspring on beam ... she's stuck it twice now.
"On every single event she has something she's uncomfortable with, but she's doing a good job of ... trying to go for some things."
Fellow senior Kendra Homan joined Hunt to complete the Patriot sweep.
Homan was only scheduled to compete in one event, the vault, which she won with an 8.65. But she was a late addition to the floor after Jenny Buckland suffered an ankle injury and made the most of the opportunity with a career-best 7.65.
"Kendra had a really good night on vault, and then on floor," said Millspaugh. "That was definitely a personal best on floor for her. It was the best routine she's done."
Kristen Aisnworth, the Patriots' high scorer at Valparaiso, was the runner-up to all three of Hunt's victories. The freshman posted scores of 8.45 on the floor, 7.625 on the bars and 7.375 on the beam.
She added an 8.35 on the vault.
The only non-JCHS gymnasts to crack the top three did so on the vault, where Katie Engle of Lincoln was second at 8.5, and Brittany Knott tied Hunt for third with an 8.45.
Another senior, Kayci Ryder, completed Jay County's sweep of the floor and beam. She gave the Patriots three scores higher than 8.0 on the floor with a third-place 8.1, and was also third on the beam at 7.075.
"Kayci had a lot of good scores," said Millspaugh. "She didn't do beam at all last year, and with a small team this year she knew she had to. She's been in our top four on beam the last three meets in a row. She had a good night."
Stormi Metcalf joined Hunt and Ainsworth in the sweep of the bars, posting a third-place 7.375.
Millspaugh said she's looking forward to Wednesday meet at Connersville for several reasons. It will show the Patriots exactly what they're up against in their quest for the Olympic Athletic Conference title, and will bring and end to her team's run of six meets in the first two weeks of January.
"We go to Connersville Wednesday, and that will be the end of this meet marathon we've been having," she said. "That'll be a relief. ... That'll be good to be able to come back and watch some of the tape from some of the meets and look at the score sheets from the judges and decide where to go for the second half of the season."[[In-content Ad]]
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