Jay eighth at sectional

FORT WAYNE — Improvement.
It’s been the theme all season.
Competing at sectional Saturday, the goal was the same.
Improve.
Two Patriots did.
A pair of Jay County High School gymnasts set new career bests in the IHSAA gymnastics sectional meet at Concordia, as the Patriots finished eighth out of 12 teams to have their season come to a close.
Bishop Dwenger, which was the runner-up at the state finals last season, won the team title with 113.2 points. Returning state qualifiers Homestead and Carroll were second and third respectively with 108.425 and 107.125 respectively.
The Patriots, who did not have a gymnast make regional for the first time in more than two decades, scored 95.075 points — their fourth-highest score of the season — finishing behind Snider (95.65) and ahead of Wayne (81.5).
“It is a tough sectional,” said second-year JCHS coach Lana Kahlig. “You’re coming out of 12 schools and eliminating it to three. A lot of schools (score) over 105 that make it through.
“It is a very tough sectional.”
The top three teams and top six individuals on each event move on to regional, which is Saturday at Huntington North.
Freshman Riley Leavell set three new career bests, posting her highest scores on the balance beam, floor exercise and all around.
She had the only no-fall routine for the Patriots on beam, with her only major blemish was nearly falling off on her mount. She had too much momentum from the springboard and almost fell to the mat before getting into her routine. She gained her composure — the youngster hardly showed any nerves in her first sectional meet — and carried on.
She scored an 8.05, which was second on the team to junior teammate Maddie Strausburg’s 8.275. Leavell was 20th, and Strausburg was one spot ahead of her. Dwenger sophomore Elaine Cornewell earned a 9.725 to claim the sectional title.
Leavell had an extra step on her third tumble pass on floor, and had another on her aerial before finishing with a 7.4 (30th), another career best. She added scores of 7.0 on uneven bars (25th) and an 8.0 (37th) on vault to set a new all around career high of 30.45, which was 20th overall.
“I think it really shows how she’s improved mentally and being able to focus better,” Kahlig said. “This is the first time she’s been put first on beam. She had a little added pressure but she overcame that pressure and gave us a solid routine.”
Maria Trahin of Dwenger was the sectional champion on vault (9.7) and all-around (37.625). Homestead freshman Yana Weir scored a 9.375 on floor for the individual title.
Strausburg’s new career best came on the uneven bars, on which she totaled 8.35. She had a solid transition from the low bar to the high bar, and could have scored higher if not for a big step on her double front flip dismount. She was 13th overall. Dwenger’s Grace Gillig was the sectional champion with 9.6.
Strausburg had her highest score on vault (8.6 – tied for 17th), and also added an 8.575 (18th) on floor exercise for an all around total of 33.8 (14th).
“I’m proud of Maddie’s all around score,” Kahlig said. “It is good to be top 15. That definitely shows the potential is there.”
Fellow junior Jocelyn Huey also had her best score on vault, earning an 8.45 (20th). She added a 7.9 (26th) on floor, 7.6 on bars (tied for 20th) and 5.725 on beam (39th) to finish with a 29.675 all-around (23rd).
Competing in her final meet as a Patriot, senior Miranda Hibbard scored 8.2 or above on two events. She had good tumbling passes on floor to earn an 8.2 (22nd), and had an 8.35 on vault (24th). She had a 6.1 on bars (35th) and 4.95 on beam (44th) for an all-around of 27.6 (29th).
Jay County will return four of its five gymnasts next season, and Kahlig said she is hopeful the Patriots can keep the same theme next season.
“Given the circumstances that we have a small squad this year … their scores have improved,” said Kahlig, whose five-member team was without freshman Karlie Bullard on Saturday because of a choir concert. “There is always room for improvement.”
“I think they need to work on getting things connected, especially on floor. We need to get harder skills on bars as a whole.
“Gymnastics is a mental game, so once you have that first mistake it is hard to get out of that rut.”