Patriots back on top (03/03/08)

MUNCIE - Maybe everyone was just used to the Patriots as runners-up. But this time, they weren't.

At the close of the sectional gymnastics meet Saturday, the team standings were announced. Jay County, for the fourth straight year, was named as the runner-up. Huntington North was announced as champion.

But when none of the Vikings celebrated after that declaration, the numbers, which were being calculated by hand because of computer problems, were checked again. The result, correct this time, was a Patriot victory.

Jay County ended a three-year drought, posting its best score of the season to outdistance Huntington North and Marion to win the sectional gymnastics title at Muncie Central.

"This is awesome," said senior Erika Hunt, who wrapped her arms around the neck of freshman teammate Kyli Kelso when the accurate results were announced. "This is everything I could have wished for as a senior. We've gotten second every year since I've been in a high school, and just coming out on top is awesome. It's a great feeling."

"It's like a fairy tale," added junior Jenny Buckland. "It's not clicking yet. It's really not."

The Patriots won with a season-best 101.55 points, nearly a full point ahead of the runner-up Vikings (100.6). Marion was third with 100.25 points.

All three teams will advance to Friday's regional competition at Huntington North. They will be joined by No. 3 Bishop Dwenger, No. 7 Concordia and No. 11 Snider - the top three teams from the sectional at Concordia - as well as the top six individuals from each event at both meets. The top two teams and top six individuals in each event will advance to the state finals.

It will be the sixth straight regional appearance for Jay County, which had a previous high score this season of 100.675.

"I knew we could do it," said JCHS coach Kristin Millspaugh, whose teams won sectional crowns in 2003 and 2004 before finishing second in each of the last three seasons. "Actually, I figured it would be within a couple of tenths, first to third, so I'm a little shocked that it was by as many tenths as it was.

"It was just a perfect example of a true team win. We don't have a star. Marion has a star and Huntington has a star, and we don't really have anybody who can live up to their top girls. But it was just a true balanced team effort."

Jay County didn't keep track of where it stood during the meet, instead focusing on solid performances and letting the numbers fall where they may. So, when Hunt and freshman Kristen Ainsworth took to the balance beam, with all the other events already complete, they didn't know the meet was in their hands. But they did deliver.

Needing to be nearly perfect, the pair of Patriot leaders was. Hunt turned in a no-fall penultimate routine, posting an 8.6, and Ainsworth followed with her best effort of the day, a no-fall 9.0 that placed her third in the event.

"We had to get it done for the team," said Hunt. "That's what we were focused on."

That focus lifted Hunt to a huge day, the best of her career.

The senior opened with an outstanding floor exercise routine, putting everything together for the second straight meet. She scored a 9.35, just the second 9.0 or higher of her career, to finish in fifth place. She added a third-place 8.8 on the bars, a sixth-place 8.65 on the vault and the 8.6 on the beam for an all-around total of 35.4.

That number placed her just one tenth out of the top six, and was the fourth-best all-around score in Jay County history. Only Dawn Ogden, Danae Klatt and Hannah Williams have ever been better.

"Erika had a very big day today," said Millspaugh. "I'm so happy for her, because ... it's always been about the team for her. It's nice to see somebody with that type of character have a day like she did."

Ainsworth was second to Hunt on the team in every event except the beam, and narrowly missed a 9.0 of her own on the floor. She finished ninth there with an 8.9, was eighth on the vault at 8.55 and took 12th on the bars with an 8.1.

Buckland scored an 8.15 on the floor and 8.05 on the balance beam. Stormi Metcalf had a 7.35 on the bars, and Lexie Rowles and Kendra Homan tied at 8.05 on the vault.

"Really they just did what we practiced," said Millspaugh. "The little things we talked about in practice this week they were able to carry over into the meet. I think that's a really big deal. A lot of times you can practice well and you can warm up well and when the nerves kick in when it's your time to compete, all that little stuff goes out the window. ...

"All four on every event really carried over what they were told in practice and they kept their heads in the right place during the meet. If something was off a little, they pulled it back on. We were just really focused mentally today."[[In-content Ad]]