Schoenlein places sixth

MUNCIE — “You’ve done something I couldn’t do.”
Those were the words uttered by 2013 Jay County High School graduate Katie Snyder as she hugged current JCHS sophomore Lizzy Schoenlein following the IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals on Saturday at Ball State’s Worthen Arena.
Schoenlein had a difficult time holding back her tears. Minutes prior to her embrace with Snyder — a three-time state qualifier herself — she had just stood on the podium, receiving a sixth-place medal and completing her season-long goal.
“That really touched me because she helped me with beam a lot this year,” Schoenlein, who finished tied for sixth on the balance beam with a score of 9.35, said of Snyder’s remark. Snyder finished eighth on vault as a senior and seventh as a junior. “I knew she is really proud of me. I know she’s happy that she could help me do this.
“Katie is one of my best friends. I’ve done gymnastics with her my entire life. These last few years she’s helped out with everything in life, especially gymnastics.”
Schoenlein also admitted she didn’t think her 9.35 was going to be enough to place. The top six individuals in each event earn a medal.
“Not at all,” she said. “I wasn’t paying a lot of attention to the beam scores before me. I just figured they were all higher. The 9.35, I felt good about that score with my routine. When they announced it as sixth place, I was just overjoyed.”
The Patriot was one of a seemingly short list of gymnasts who turned in a no-fall routine on the beam, and this was moments after she cut open a toe on her right foot on the uneven bars. After being tended to by trainer Rita Bollenbacher, Schoenlein hit the beam for her final rotation and was the second-to-last competitor for the entire meet.
Because of her injury, Schoenlein altered her routine slightly to eliminate skills that she knew she could stick. She kept her aerial, though, despite having fallen on it during warm ups and being visibly frustrated. Following a wobbly back walkover, she nailed her back handspring and then landed her wolf three-quarter jump on one foot.
“I don’t know how I landed that,” Schoenlein said, laughing. “I’m sure it didn’t even look like a wolf jump.”
Then she nailed her aerial and had a perfect dismount, leading to a roar of cheers from her cheering section, which had bright lime green t-shirts spelling out “Go Lizzy”.
First-year JCHS coach Lana Kahlig had the same feeling as Schoenlein that the score might not be enough to place. She had an inkling Schoenlein had a shot, but wasn’t too confident.
“I knew it was going to be a close one, but I wasn’t for sure if her name was going to get called,” Kahlig said. “It was very exciting (when the PA announcer said her name).”
When she heard her name, Schoenlein got up from the floor where she was seated next to teammate Courtney Miles and smiled widely as she walked up to the podium to receive her medal. Her cheering section, which was about two-dozen strong and had been keeping score amongst themselves throughout the meet, erupted in cheers, just as they had during her medal-winning beam routine.
A mere 0.025 points separated her from missing the podium. She and Carroll’s Delaney Garland finished ahead of Valparaiso’s Jenna Algozine’s 9.325.
Schoenlein was almost as close to finishing in fifth, as well. Sydney Intagliata of Valparaiso, which claimed its state-leading 11th championship, scored a 9.4.
Schoenlein became the first Jay County gymnast to medal at state since Nadlie Runyon finished sixth on the beam in 2009.
“I’m very proud of her,” Kahlig said of the sophomore. “It just goes to show all the hard work she’s done this year has truly paid off. I know she’s definitely excited for that beam routine. It was a no-fall routine, and that’s the main key to that balance beam.”
Schoenlein’s day began with a 9.3 on the floor exercise, which placed her 18th.
She followed it with a career-best 9.0 on vault to finish in 28th. She said she felt her warm up to the vault was the best she had done, and she matched it during the competition, beating her previous best score of 8.9.
She was 35th on the bars with a score of 8.225, and her all around of 35.875 was 21st.