SYRACUSE - After the gymnastics meet between the Wawasee Warriors and Manchester Squires, both coaches talked about using the competition as a learning experience.

"Our varsity was not as as dynamic, with the exception of Angi Beer, tonight as it normally is," said Nika Prather, Wawasee head coach. "We had a better meet overall at Elkhart Memorial last week.

"Tonight we had several stops on the bars that we don't normally have, and we were shaky on the beam."

Wawasee won 92.7-74.75.

Beer led all competitors last night, earning first place on each of the apparatus: beam, floor exercise, uneven bars, and vault. Because she was first in each category, she also won first place in the all-around category. Megan Goshert led the Manchester squad, placing third in the all-around competition by placing second on the beam and third in the floor exercise.

Like many other schools, both the Warriors and the Squires were battling illness and injury.

"We have two girls out tonight with injuries," said Manchester coach Don Osborne. "Our number three all-around girl is out with an ankle injury, and another is out with an elbow injury.

"But I think everyone is in the same boat right now. No one has had much practice because of the weather and illness."

"Almost all of the girls on our team are sick, they are either in the middle of it or they just came back from being out because of it," said Prather. "Katie Millar participated in three events, but she has not practiced for a week and a half. Three others were also ill tonight and did well considering they were feeling so lousy.

"I'm glad no one was injured. When your team is not feeling up to par, you are always concerned with injuries."

Both teams avoided injury last night, and both coaches are looking to the future for their teams.

"I am pleased with the way we are improving," said Prather. "The girls are fighting to stay on the beam, and they are starting to put more personality into their floor exercises. We need to step up before sectional, but at this point I am happy with the improvement."

"We were about average, we performed pretty much like we have been performing," said Osborne. "We hAVe a young team made up of almost all juniors and freshmen, and we will get stronger as the year goes on. That's what we are waiting for and what we are counting on."

Wawasee 92.7, Manchester 74.75

Vault - 1. (Tie) Angi Beer (W) and Katie Brown (W) 8.4, 3. Megan Goshert (M) 7.9, 4. Lisa Ummel (W) 7.85, 5. Marie Weller (M) 7.7, 6. Brandy Briner (M) 7.15, 7. Tina French (M) 7.0, 8. Katie Millar (W) 6.95

Bars -Ê1. Beer (W) 8.9, 2. Ummel (W) 7.25, 3. (Tie) Brown (W) and French (M) 6.65, 5. Millar (W) 6.1, 6. Goshert (M) 5.5, 7. Shay Knecht (M) 3.65, 8. Weller (M) 3.15

Beam -Ê1. Beer (W) 8.45, 2. Goshert 6.5, 3. Brown (W) 6.35, 4. Ummel (W) 6.1, 5. French (M) 5.6, 6. Millar (W) 5.0, 7. Carrie Becker (W) 4.2, 8. Knecht (M) 3.95, 9. Briner (M) 3.55

Floor exercise -Ê1. Beer (W) 8.5, 2. Brown (W) 8.15, 3. Ummel (W)7.7, 4. Goshert (M) 7.3, 5. French (M) 7.15, 6. Knecht (M) 5.6, 7. Weller (M) 5.0

All-around -Ê1. Beer (W) 34.25, 2. Brown (W) 29.55, 3. Ummel (W) 28.9, 4. Goshert (M) 27.2, 5. French (M) 26.4, 6. Millar (W) 18.05, 7. Weller (M) 15.85, 8. Knecht (M) 13.2, 9. Briner (M) 10.7, 10. Becker (W) 4.2

JV Score -ÊManchester 24.2, Wawasee 23.2

JV leaders -ÊManchester: Heather Brown 1st bars, 2nd beam, 2nd floor; Jennifer Hileman 3rd bars, 4th beam; Marie Weller 3rd beam; Wawasee: Jessica Evilsizor 1st beam, 2nd bars, 3rd vault; Carrie Becker 1st floor. [[In-content Ad]]