By RICHIE HALL
NOBLESVILLE – The Noblesville gymnastics team had a goal in mind as it hosted Sectional 2 Friday night at Noblesville East Middle School: Get into the 90s.
The Millers did that and more. Finishing the meet with a solid balance beam score, Noblesville posted a 92.00, good enough for fifth place and by far a season-best mark.
“I’m super proud of the girls today,” said Millers coach Jody Ramey. She had all the reason in the world to be proud of her team, reflecting on how far her gymnasts had come from the beginning of the season – “A lot of these girls were brand-new, beginner gymnasts coming in,” said Ramey.
Noblesville was led by a freshman, Keira Harper. While she wasn’t new to gymnastics, Harper took a year off before returning to competition. She finished her season strong, scoring a 32.475 in the all-around. Harper’s best individual mark was an 8.70 on the balance beam, good for 11th place.
The Millers were solid on the beam as a team. Hailey Knoll scored a 7.80 and Ella Deno posted a 7.45. That added up to a beam total of 23.950, the second-highest of the four rotations.
Noblesville scored a 24.425 on the vault, an event in which it is traditionally strong. Harper earned an 8.325, Knoll posted an 8.00, and Alexis Riester and Cailey Hurst both scored 7.80.
The top three teams advance to the regional, which takes place next Saturday, March 7 at Portage. Harrison scored a 107.075 to win the team championship, followed by runner-up Logansport with a 104.875. Northwestern placed third with a 103.85 and also had the all-around champion: Katie Smith scored a 36.75. Harrison’s Haiven Gipson had the best score of the night, a 9.60 on the vault.
“For me, it’s not always about the winning,” said Ramey. “It’s about bringing the whole team together and being able to be united as a team and learn the discipline and learn how to better your mistakes. This team was able to do that and more.”
Fishers had a gymnast compete at the sectional for the first time. Freshman Savannah Strange had a solid day in all four events, compiling an all-around score of 31.475. Strange’s top score was an 8.20 on the vault.
Strange said competing was a “little bit nerve-wracking but a little bit exciting, saying that I’m the only one competing for my high school,” and the overall experience was “really fun. I made a lot of friends,” she said.
Team scores: Harrison 107.075, Logansport 104.875, Northwestern 103.85, McCutcheon 98.35, Noblesville 92.00, Lafayette Jefferson 87.725, Crawfordsville 86.375, Western 83.60, Southmont 78.70, North Montgomery 74.275, Peru 53.55, Lafayette Central Catholic 53.45, Lapel 36.625, Tri-County 34.925, Fishers 31.475, North Miami 28.825.
All-around scores: 14. Keira Harper (N) 32.475, 18. Savannah Strange (F) 31.475.
Vault: 17. Harper (N) 8.325, T18. Hailey Knoll (N) 8.30, T20. Strange (F) 8.20, T33. Alexis Riester (N) 7.80; Cailey Hurst (N) 7.80.
Uneven bars: 17. Strange (F) 7.60, 18 Harper (N) 7.175, 22. Knoll (N) 6.925, 28. Ella Deno (N) 5.85, 29. Riester (N) 5.725.
Balance beam: 11. Harper (N) 8.700, 18. Knoll (N) 7.800, 21. Strange (F) 7.65, 22. Deno (N) 7.45, 30. Riester (N) 6.70.
Floor exercise: T16. Harper (N) 8.275, T19. Strange (F) 8.025, 22. Deno (N) 7.875, 25. Hurst (N) 7.525, T31. Grace Bastin (N) 7.05.
Noblesville’s Keira Harper had the highest Millers score of the night on the balance beam at the gymnastics sectional Friday at Noblesville East Middle School. Harper scored an 8.70 on the beam. (Kent Graham)
Savannah Strange became the first Fishers gymnast ever to compete in a sectional Friday. Strange had an all-around score of 31.475. (Kent Graham)