Williams sets school record (02/24/04)

PORTLAND — The Patriots have made the declaration. They are ready for sectional.

The Jay County gymnastics team hammered Hagerstown 100.90-94.45, scoring their highest total of the season and bringing down a school record in the process.

Sophomore Hannah Williams scored a 9.7 to set a new school record on the floor exercise, and Amanda Knight notched a couple of career-best scores including an 8.9 to lift her to seventh in school history on the vault.

“I think tonight was an awesome meet,” said Knight, who hopes to lead the Patriots to a second straight sectional championship in her senior season. “We were just practicing for sectional. We’re pumped.”

“We did awesome,” agreed Williams. “I think its good because a lot of people are hurt and other people are stepping up to take their spots.”

Jay County has lost both of its Laceys — Grider and Thornburg — for the season. But, with Williams and Knight leading the way, the Patriots have dominated each of their last two dual meets.

While Williams has pulled the double full out of her floor routine for now while she rests a sore ankle, everything she did go for Monday was flawless. Each of her three tumbling passes ended perfectly, with no extra steps or wobbles to try to keep her balance.

Kristin Brown, the previous performer on floor had scored an 8.7. When teammate Sarah Ullom simply flipped over the nine to show Williams’ score, the crowd went crazy.

Not only was the score her best ever, but it knocked off the school record by a huge margin. Dawn Ogden had owned the record with a 9.575 in the 2000-2001 season.

The score also put Williams near the top of the state pedestal. Her 9.7 was the second highest in the state the season as reported to the Indiana High School Gymnastics Coaches Association.

Also, along with Kristen Brown’s third-place 8.7 and Brittany Bauman’s 8.65, the Patriots notched the fifth highest floor total in school history of 27.05.

“I’m thrilled that I get to put her name on the record board,” said Jay County coach Kristin Rees of Williams. “She works so hard and has such a great attitude all the time. When a kid like that can do something as neat as break a school record it makes it extra special.”

Rees said early in the season there were a lot of new elements to Williams’ routine. Now, as the season comes to a close, she is able to make it flow with the music.

“It’s finally gotten to the point where she knows it well enough where she doesn’t have to worry about what comes next, and she can just perform it,” said Rees.

Williams also said the temporary removal of the double full at the end of her first tumbling pass has freed her mind.

“Usually if I fall on my double full I lose confidence,” she said. “I’m able to focus on having fun and doing a good dance.”

Williams was also first on the balance beam with an 8.5, second on the uneven parallel bars behind Hagerstown’s Ashton Davis (8.45) with an 8.35 and tied for second with teammate Brittany Bauman behind Knight on the vault with an 8.55.

Knight has been amazingly consistent all season, and Monday was no different.

She drilled both of her vaults for a career-best score of 8.9, ranking her seventh in school history. Her previous best was an 8.8 when she won the Olympic Athletic Conference title in the event during her sophomore season.

Knight also had her best total ever on the balance beam. She scored a third-place 8.05 with yet another no-fall routine.

She was also third on the bars with a 7.7 despite putting her hands down on her dismount. Makenzie Knight followed her on the bars with a 7.5, and Melissa Fifer notched a 7.75 on the beam.

“I’m really happy for Amanda that she got a personal best (on the vault),” said Rees. “Sometimes when you’re a senior and you had a really great meet earlier in your career it can be hard to top that.”

Knight said she’s made some adjustments on her vault because she had been twisting too early. She said her continued improvement on beam has come simply because she loves to practice the event.

“I practice beam every day all the time,” she said. “Beam is my favorite thing to practice. I love to play on beam.”

“She’s had a great attitude all year,” said Rees. “I think she realized she’s probably not going to add a lot more difficulty, but she’s not let up at all.

“She’s working on making whatever she can already do perfect. That’s why she’s seeing improvement in scores.”

Jay County has one more meet before defending its title at the Muncie Central sectional. The Patriots will host Bluffton Monday at 6:45 p.m.

Junior varsity

Jay County took first place in every junior varsity event, with Heather Stevens notching a top all-around score of 24.7.

Stevens had one of the team’s first-place finishes, as a different Patriot won each individual event. She took first in the vault with a 7.7.

Kayla Smith was first on the floor with a 7.85, Caitlin Dunn won the bars with a 6.45 and Kristin Brown took the beam with a 5.85.[[In-content Ad]]