Jay gymnasts fourth at regional (03/13/04)

HUNTINGTON — Jay County's two seniors had about as solid a final meet as they could have wanted.

Sophomore Hannah Williams was probably the best gymnast at the Huntington North regional who will not be advancing to the state meet next week.

Neither Williams nor any other gymnast from the Muncie Central sectional earned a state berth as the Fort Wayne schools dominated Friday's competition.

"It just wasn’t our night," said Jay County coach Kristin Rees. "We just didn't have our best meet."

The defending state champion Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger Saints continued their second straight undefeated season, winning the regional crown with 108.9 points despite a couple of injuries. Fort Wayne Carroll was second with 107.475, and Fort Wayne Northrop was third with 103.925.

Jay County placed fourth with 99.35 points, finishing with the best total of the teams coming out of Muncie Central.

Fort Wayne Concordia sophomore Katie Ruhl was the individual all-around champion with a total of 37.45.

Event champions were Ruhl on the vault (9.65) and the floor (9.55). Brianna Neumann was first on the balance beam (9.0), and Niccole Van Hoey of Dwenger was the uneven parallel bars champion (9.6).

The top two teams overall and the top six individuals in each event move on to the state meet at Indianapolis Perry Meridian High School Saturday, March 20 at 1 p.m.

"I don't want to leave here on a down note," said Rees of not extending the season another week. "Our seniors had a great meet and that should be our focus. It was a great way to end their careers."

Amanda Knight led the way in that respect, with perhaps the best meet of her career on the largest stage she has ever competed on. The senior was as solid as ever on the vault. She especially drilled her second attempt, scoring a career-best 8.95 to finish 11th overall.

She had the best score for the Patriots on the bars with a 7.95, and scored just short of a personal best on the beam with a no-fall routine for an 8.075.

And, although her scored didn't match the one of a week earlier, fellow senior Kayla Smith did another excellent beam routine also with no falls to finish with an 8.175.

"It's a good one to end on," said Knight. "I got a personal best on vault, and I scored the same (overall) as I did at sectional."

"(Knight) had a very good meet," said Rees. "I thought she showed a lot of composure tonight. She showed that she's had experience in a meet like this before. I think both seniors did that."

Williams — who was 11th in the state on the balance beam last year and was the Muncie Central sectional champion on the beam, floor and all-around last week — fell just short of making the state meet.

All of her performances were solid, but not the best she has done this year. She had a fall on her first back tuck on the beam, which likely cost her a second straight trip to the state meet in the event.

She was in the top six through the first three rotations on beam (8.475), floor (9.025) and vault (9.15), but couldn't quite hold on. She finished ninth in each of those three events.

WIlliams also scored a 7.7 on the bars for a 34.35 all-around, which also kept her just out of the state meet in eighth place.

"Going in the first rotation (on beam) you'd expect to be a little bit lower," said Rees. "She had a fall. At a meet like this you can't advance with a fall. To her credit, she hopped right up and hit her second back tuck.

"Hannah has a great attitude. She was still down there cheering for the other girls (on other teams) who weren't done yet."

Following Williams and Knight on the vault was Brittany Bauman with an 8.55. Bauman was also third behind the same pair on the bars with a 7.275. Freshman Kristin Brown trailed Williams on the floor with an 8.25, and freshman Caitlin Dunn was next with a 7.775.

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