Warrior Gymnasts Settle For Fourth Place
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
SYRACUSE - The Wawasee Warriors and Manchester Squires both competed in the Wawasee Gymnastics Regional on Friday night with modest results.
The Warriors have won 20 sectional titles but have never won a regional championship. The Squires unexpectedly pushed Wawasee last week at the sectional competition with a second-place finish.
Holding to form, Valparaiso won the regional title going away, while Wawasee took fourth and Manchester took fifth. Valparaiso gymnasts cluttered the top six in every category. Sixteen of 30 qualifiers for the state meet came from Valparaiso.
Manchester opened the first rotation on the floor excercise, while Wawasee began on one of the most difficult events, the beam. Tara Wion's 8.4 for the Squires put them in fourth overall and gave her the 8th-best score in the opening rotation. Wawasee's 29.05 on the beam put them in fifth overall. The Warriors were led by Christa Olson, who scored a 7.9.
In the second rotation, Wawasee was on the floor and Manchester went to the vault. Senior Tierny Prather broke out with an 8.95 for the Warriors as they passed the Squires for fourth overall. Muana Timoteo's 8.05 was the top Manchester score in the second rotation.
Prather scored an 8.5 on the vault during the third rotation to put her in the race for one of the top six spots in the all-around. The Squires struggled on the bars as Wion's 8.05 was the only score over 7.0.
In the final rotation, Prather scored a 7.7 on the bars, which dropped her out of contention for a spot at the state competition. Angie Beer had a 7.9 for Wawasee on the last rotation. Wion had an 8.55 on the beam to put herself into position for one of the final six individual spots.
Wion ended in seventh and Prather placed eigth in the all-around to put them just out of the state competition.
Both coaches were happy with their teams' performances. Wawasee's 95.35 team score placed them a distant 9.1 points behind third-place Hobart. Manchester scored a team total of 88.5, just 0.4 points in front of Elkhart Central. But, as Wawasee head coach Nika Prather said, the two teams are at a distinct disadvantage against Valparaiso, Chesterton, and Hobart.
"Those kids compete in private clubs all year round with the same coaches," she said. "My girls don't. Until we do, we can not be competitive and we know that. A lot of my girls do other sports, and I think that's great."
These teams are content to compete in the regional every year. They are not obsessed with winning or going to the state finals. The girls have their priorities straight and understand what it takes to win a regional. If they cared to do what it takes to win, Coach Prather would encourage it. But as it is, she is happy with the results as they are.
"I feel good about the season," Prather said. "Except for the one loss. We improved throughout the season. I have nothing bad to say about it."
Wawasee loses just one gymnast, Tierny Prather. The Warriors will reload for another season. With a strong junior and freshman class this year, Wawasee plans to be back in the regionals again next year as it will look for its 21st sectional title.
Team Totals - Valparaiso 111.85, Chesterton 107.175, Hobart 104.45, Wawasee 95.35, Manchester 88.5, Elkhart Central 88.1, Portage 37.275, Elkhart Memorial 32.1, Plymouth 31.35, East Noble 23.5, Merrillville 17.15, Lowell 9.325
Vault - Chentnik (Chest) 9.35, Shikany (Valpo) 9.2, Tipton (Valpo) 9.1, Urgino (Valpo) 9.1, Melody (Valpo) 9.0, Fastero (Merril) 9.0
Bars - Tipton (Valpo) 9.475, Covington (Hobart) 9.475, Deible (Valpo) 9.325, Urgino (Valpo) 9.325, Shikany (Valpo) 9.3, Stewart (Portage) 9.15
Beam - Stewart (Portage) 9.625, Tipton (Valpo) 9.575, Walters (Chest) 9.475, Melody (Valpo) 9.3, Pikula (Valpo) 9.0, Covington (Hobart) 8.975
Floor - Stewart (Portage) 9.6, Tipton (Valpo) 9.575, Melody (Valpo) 9.5, Pikula (Valpo) 9.375, Moser (Lowell) 9.325, Walters (Chest) 9.275
All-Around - Tipton (Valpo) 37.725, Stewart (Portage) 37.275, Walters (Chest) 36.825, Covington (Hobart) 36.35, Shikany (Valpo) 35.25, Joliff (Hobart) 33.975
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SYRACUSE - The Wawasee Warriors and Manchester Squires both competed in the Wawasee Gymnastics Regional on Friday night with modest results.
The Warriors have won 20 sectional titles but have never won a regional championship. The Squires unexpectedly pushed Wawasee last week at the sectional competition with a second-place finish.
Holding to form, Valparaiso won the regional title going away, while Wawasee took fourth and Manchester took fifth. Valparaiso gymnasts cluttered the top six in every category. Sixteen of 30 qualifiers for the state meet came from Valparaiso.
Manchester opened the first rotation on the floor excercise, while Wawasee began on one of the most difficult events, the beam. Tara Wion's 8.4 for the Squires put them in fourth overall and gave her the 8th-best score in the opening rotation. Wawasee's 29.05 on the beam put them in fifth overall. The Warriors were led by Christa Olson, who scored a 7.9.
In the second rotation, Wawasee was on the floor and Manchester went to the vault. Senior Tierny Prather broke out with an 8.95 for the Warriors as they passed the Squires for fourth overall. Muana Timoteo's 8.05 was the top Manchester score in the second rotation.
Prather scored an 8.5 on the vault during the third rotation to put her in the race for one of the top six spots in the all-around. The Squires struggled on the bars as Wion's 8.05 was the only score over 7.0.
In the final rotation, Prather scored a 7.7 on the bars, which dropped her out of contention for a spot at the state competition. Angie Beer had a 7.9 for Wawasee on the last rotation. Wion had an 8.55 on the beam to put herself into position for one of the final six individual spots.
Wion ended in seventh and Prather placed eigth in the all-around to put them just out of the state competition.
Both coaches were happy with their teams' performances. Wawasee's 95.35 team score placed them a distant 9.1 points behind third-place Hobart. Manchester scored a team total of 88.5, just 0.4 points in front of Elkhart Central. But, as Wawasee head coach Nika Prather said, the two teams are at a distinct disadvantage against Valparaiso, Chesterton, and Hobart.
"Those kids compete in private clubs all year round with the same coaches," she said. "My girls don't. Until we do, we can not be competitive and we know that. A lot of my girls do other sports, and I think that's great."
These teams are content to compete in the regional every year. They are not obsessed with winning or going to the state finals. The girls have their priorities straight and understand what it takes to win a regional. If they cared to do what it takes to win, Coach Prather would encourage it. But as it is, she is happy with the results as they are.
"I feel good about the season," Prather said. "Except for the one loss. We improved throughout the season. I have nothing bad to say about it."
Wawasee loses just one gymnast, Tierny Prather. The Warriors will reload for another season. With a strong junior and freshman class this year, Wawasee plans to be back in the regionals again next year as it will look for its 21st sectional title.
Team Totals - Valparaiso 111.85, Chesterton 107.175, Hobart 104.45, Wawasee 95.35, Manchester 88.5, Elkhart Central 88.1, Portage 37.275, Elkhart Memorial 32.1, Plymouth 31.35, East Noble 23.5, Merrillville 17.15, Lowell 9.325
Vault - Chentnik (Chest) 9.35, Shikany (Valpo) 9.2, Tipton (Valpo) 9.1, Urgino (Valpo) 9.1, Melody (Valpo) 9.0, Fastero (Merril) 9.0
Bars - Tipton (Valpo) 9.475, Covington (Hobart) 9.475, Deible (Valpo) 9.325, Urgino (Valpo) 9.325, Shikany (Valpo) 9.3, Stewart (Portage) 9.15
Beam - Stewart (Portage) 9.625, Tipton (Valpo) 9.575, Walters (Chest) 9.475, Melody (Valpo) 9.3, Pikula (Valpo) 9.0, Covington (Hobart) 8.975
Floor - Stewart (Portage) 9.6, Tipton (Valpo) 9.575, Melody (Valpo) 9.5, Pikula (Valpo) 9.375, Moser (Lowell) 9.325, Walters (Chest) 9.275
All-Around - Tipton (Valpo) 37.725, Stewart (Portage) 37.275, Walters (Chest) 36.825, Covington (Hobart) 36.35, Shikany (Valpo) 35.25, Joliff (Hobart) 33.975
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