Sectional experience

FORT WAYNE — For the Patriots, the sectional meet was mostly about the experience.

Freshman Calie Yates earned the top placing — 29th — and sophomore Grace Yowell recorded the highest score — 7.625 on vault — as the Jay County High School gymnastics team concluded its season Saturday at the sectional meet hosted by Concordia.

With just two athletes competing in a total of four events, the Patriots didn’t have the ability to post a full team score. Instead, the meet served as an opportunity for them to compete alongside some of the best gymnasts in the state.

Third-ranked Homestead (110.625) won the sectional title with 110.625 points over No. 4 Bishop Dwenger (109.1). Carroll, which is ranked seventh in the state, was a distant third at 105.3. The Patriots finished last among the 12th-team field with 27.1 points.

“It was definitely a learning season for us coaches as well as for the girls,” said first-year JCHS coach Lindsay Moser. “I just foresee a lot of growth in the next couple of years.”

The top three teams and top six individuals on each event advance to the regional, which will be held Saturday at Huntington North. The state finals are scheduled for March 11 at Ball State University.

Yates fared well in her only event, the floor exercise. She received the highest score of her young career with a 7.025 for 29th place.

“That was Calie's best routine she's ever done,” said Moser. “She worked hard all week. We changed things around a little bit and she went up a whole point for her floor today. So, really excited for her.

“Confidence is key when you're out there for sure. She's getting more comfortable as a freshman. You know, this is her first time really performing in an environment like this.”

Yowell showed marked improvement from last season, when she competed only on the balance beam for the Patriots.

She hit her back walkover and forward tuck dismount to post a 6.25 on the beam, nearly a point better than the 2022 sectional. She finished 34th.

“One of her better routines,” Moser said. “Definitely one of her best dismounts she's had all year. The front tuck is new for her. So landing that, she was really excited.”

Yowell’s high score of the day was a 7.625 on the vault. And she added a 6.2 on the floor.

Gianna Zirille of Homestead won her third consecutive individual all-around sectional title with 37.725 points, finishing ahead of teammate Jillian Creager (37). She was first on the uneven parallel bars (9.475) and balance beam (9.35).

Creager won the other two events with scores of 9.55 on vault and 9.4 on floor.