July 23, 2014 at 2:10 p.m.
Solid performance lands Jay's Williams in state all-around (03/12/05)
JCHS gymnastics
Solid performance lands Jay's Williams in state all-around (03/12/05)
By By RAY COONEY-
HUNTINGTON — This time, she left no doubt.
As a freshman, Hannah Williams snuck into the state meet, tying for sixth place on the balance beam at the Muncie Central regional. Two years later, at Huntington North, her regional success was no shock.
Williams earned a trip to the state meet in every event Friday night as she finished fifth in the all-around competition with a score of 36.6. She was also third on the balance beam with a 9.15, and tied for sixth on the floor exercise with a 9.5.
“I feel good because I feel like I did everything the best that I could,” said Williams, who went on the place 11th in the state on the balance beam in 2003. “I'm excited to go back (to state).”
Williams, who was the sectional all-around, floor exercise and uneven parallel bars champion at Muncie Central last week, will join the top two teams and top six individuals in each event from each of the four regionals at the state meet. She will compete at Perry Meridian High School Saturday, March 19 beginning at 1 p.m.
“I'm really excited for her,” said Jay County coach Kristin Millspaugh. “This is a huge accomplishment with the competition that was here tonight.”
That competition included No. 3 Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, which took the team title with 112.15 points. It also had the winner of the individual all-around, and three of the four individual events. Sixth-ranked Fort Wayne Northrop was second with a 109.25.
Jay County was fourth as a team, finishing just behind Fort Wayne Snider, 102.9-102.25. But, it did earn a measure of revenge by beating the Delta Eagles for the first time in three tries this year.
After winning the sectional meet last week with a 103.85, Delta dropped by more than six points to finish fifth with 97.55 points. The host Vikings were sixth with 95.175 points.
“We had a really good meet,” said Millspaugh, whose team's score was its second-best of the season. “I wish we could've beaten Snider, but to score a 102.25 (was great). We finished the season really strong. We felt good about the performances.”
Williams was excellent for most of the night, although her competition started with a strange twist. As she ran toward the vaulting table for the first time, her steps were off and instead of her Tsukahara, she ended up doing just a front handspring.
She made up for it on the second try, however, hitting a piked Tsukahara and pulling a 9.25 from the judges’ score sheets.
“I was thinking that I had to go for it no matter what,” said Williams. “Steps were still off on the second one, but I knew I could hit it.”
“It says a lot for her mental toughness,” added Millspaugh. “I knew she would pull it off.”
It was smooth sailing from there for Williams.
After scoring a personal-best 9.5 on the bars last week, she posted an 8.7 Friday night. That mark was good for ninth place.
She bounced back from a fall on the balance beam last week to toss a no-fall beam routine for a 9.15.
Her third-place effort in the event was her best of the night as she finished behind only Jeanna Glick of Snider and Juanita Nix of Bishop Dwenger.
The junior finished the evening with one of the nine floor exercise routines which scored a 9.0 or better, tying all-around champion Jeanna Van Hoey for sixth with a 9.5.
Millspaugh said she expected the consistent effort from Williams and that she thought her best chance to advance to the state meet was as an all-around competitor.
“She didn't have a weakness this year,” said Millspaugh of Williams, who was the only gymnast from the Muncie Central sectional to earn a state berth.
“It'll be fun to practice this week with four events.”
Senior Melissa Fifer had the second-best placing for the Patriots as she was 12th on the balance beam with an 8.3. Freshman Erika Hunt posted the No. 3 score for the team on the event with a 7.45.
Fifer was also 14th on the vault with an 8.85, with Hunt following behind her in 19th with a personal-best 8.6.
Sophomore Kristin Brown posted an 8.5 for 15th on the floor, and senior Lacey Grider capped her career with a 21st-place 8.1.
Sophomore Lacey Thornburg took 14th on the bars with an 8.075, and Hunt was 17th with a 7.775.[[In-content Ad]]
As a freshman, Hannah Williams snuck into the state meet, tying for sixth place on the balance beam at the Muncie Central regional. Two years later, at Huntington North, her regional success was no shock.
Williams earned a trip to the state meet in every event Friday night as she finished fifth in the all-around competition with a score of 36.6. She was also third on the balance beam with a 9.15, and tied for sixth on the floor exercise with a 9.5.
“I feel good because I feel like I did everything the best that I could,” said Williams, who went on the place 11th in the state on the balance beam in 2003. “I'm excited to go back (to state).”
Williams, who was the sectional all-around, floor exercise and uneven parallel bars champion at Muncie Central last week, will join the top two teams and top six individuals in each event from each of the four regionals at the state meet. She will compete at Perry Meridian High School Saturday, March 19 beginning at 1 p.m.
“I'm really excited for her,” said Jay County coach Kristin Millspaugh. “This is a huge accomplishment with the competition that was here tonight.”
That competition included No. 3 Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, which took the team title with 112.15 points. It also had the winner of the individual all-around, and three of the four individual events. Sixth-ranked Fort Wayne Northrop was second with a 109.25.
Jay County was fourth as a team, finishing just behind Fort Wayne Snider, 102.9-102.25. But, it did earn a measure of revenge by beating the Delta Eagles for the first time in three tries this year.
After winning the sectional meet last week with a 103.85, Delta dropped by more than six points to finish fifth with 97.55 points. The host Vikings were sixth with 95.175 points.
“We had a really good meet,” said Millspaugh, whose team's score was its second-best of the season. “I wish we could've beaten Snider, but to score a 102.25 (was great). We finished the season really strong. We felt good about the performances.”
Williams was excellent for most of the night, although her competition started with a strange twist. As she ran toward the vaulting table for the first time, her steps were off and instead of her Tsukahara, she ended up doing just a front handspring.
She made up for it on the second try, however, hitting a piked Tsukahara and pulling a 9.25 from the judges’ score sheets.
“I was thinking that I had to go for it no matter what,” said Williams. “Steps were still off on the second one, but I knew I could hit it.”
“It says a lot for her mental toughness,” added Millspaugh. “I knew she would pull it off.”
It was smooth sailing from there for Williams.
After scoring a personal-best 9.5 on the bars last week, she posted an 8.7 Friday night. That mark was good for ninth place.
She bounced back from a fall on the balance beam last week to toss a no-fall beam routine for a 9.15.
Her third-place effort in the event was her best of the night as she finished behind only Jeanna Glick of Snider and Juanita Nix of Bishop Dwenger.
The junior finished the evening with one of the nine floor exercise routines which scored a 9.0 or better, tying all-around champion Jeanna Van Hoey for sixth with a 9.5.
Millspaugh said she expected the consistent effort from Williams and that she thought her best chance to advance to the state meet was as an all-around competitor.
“She didn't have a weakness this year,” said Millspaugh of Williams, who was the only gymnast from the Muncie Central sectional to earn a state berth.
“It'll be fun to practice this week with four events.”
Senior Melissa Fifer had the second-best placing for the Patriots as she was 12th on the balance beam with an 8.3. Freshman Erika Hunt posted the No. 3 score for the team on the event with a 7.45.
Fifer was also 14th on the vault with an 8.85, with Hunt following behind her in 19th with a personal-best 8.6.
Sophomore Kristin Brown posted an 8.5 for 15th on the floor, and senior Lacey Grider capped her career with a 21st-place 8.1.
Sophomore Lacey Thornburg took 14th on the bars with an 8.075, and Hunt was 17th with a 7.775.[[In-content Ad]]
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