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A year ago, Warsaw junior gymnast Jillian Letsch did something no Tiger before her has ever done - advance to the state finals.
"Jillian Letsch was fourth on the beam last year in the regionals," said Warsaw coach Amanda Campbell. "She was the first ever to advance to state. Prior to that our best finish was seventh place in 1991-92."
To advance to the state finals in Indianapolis a gymnast must finish in the top six of her event. In previous years, only the first-place team at the regional has advanced. This year the top two teams from the four regionals around the state will advance.
Letsch finished with a 25th-place finish at last year's state meet.
Last night, Campbell talked about Letsch's advancing to last year's state finals with open arms. What she seemed reluctant talking about was what Tiger gymnast was so close to advancing to the state finals eight years ago.
She was asked who it was, she kind of chuckled a little bit, and then she responed "me."
Saturday Letsch will have the opportunity to advance to the state finals for the second time. After winning its third consecutive sectional championship last Saturday, Warsaw will compete in Saturday's Valparaiso Regional for the right to advance as a team.
The Tigers, who finished fourth in the 1998 regional and fifth last year, won the Wawasee Sectional with a score of 100.925. Wawasee finished third with a 98.37 and Plymouth with a 96.5.
The top three from each sectional site, as well as the top six individuals in each event, advanced to the regional round of the state tournament.
Joining Warsaw, Wawasee and Plymouth in Saturday's regional are Chesterton, Valparaiso and Merrillville.
Those three teams have been ranked one, two and three all season.
"Going in we know the teams in the Northwest part of the state are so strong," said Wawasee coach Nika Prather. "Going into the regional championships we're shooting for a fourth-place finish, meaning we'd beat all the teams in our sectional."
"Chesterton won the the sectional," said Campbell. They and Merrillville are pretty close. As I understand it, Merrillville was without a gymnast. That's why they were third."
Campbell has made it evident who the favorites are, but where does her team fit in?
"Our goal is to come in on top of Wawasee and Plymouth again," she said. "As far as the top three, I don't think that'll happen. Those teams score between 108 and 112. We scored 100.95 and set the school record. We scored 100.925 at the sectional, close to the school record, but we're not able to score as high as them."
Letsch finished second in the all-around competition at last week's sectional with a score of 34.85, something she did after missing the final meet of the season with an injury.
The Tiger junior sprained her ankle Feb. 25 and didn't compete three days later in the final meet of the season. Warsaw lost to Peru by one point without Letsch, finishing the season with a 10-4 record.
"It's possible for Jillian to go (to state) again," said Campbell. "It just depends on how strong the competition is. It's possible that Jillian and Kim Love could go."
Prather points to senior Angie Beer as Wawasee's chance to advance an individual to state.
"Angie Beer is the one person who has a shot," said Prather. "Our No. 2 person Katie Brown got hurt at the sectional and will not be competing at all. She tore her ACL. And that will affect our score. For us to get fourth (place) would be really wonderdul. It'll be really tough, but great."
Tierny Prather, Coach Prather's daughter, was the last Warrior to advance to the state finals, in the 1995-96 season.
Wawasee finished this year's regular season with a 9-5 record.
2000 VALPARAISO GYMNASTICS
REGIONAL
When: Saturday at 1 p.m. Warsaw time (noon Valpo time)
Where: Valparaiso High School
Who: Teams from Chesterton, Valparaiso, Merrillville, Warsaw, Wawasee and Plymouth; as well as gymnasts who will compete individually.
*The top two teams as well as the top six individuals in each event will advance to the state finals March 18 in Indianapolis.
