The REPORTER
When Westfield started a gymnastics team last season, it made history right out of the gate.
The Shamrocks team qualified for the regional tournament during its inaugural year, an outstanding result. Westfield is back for its second year of gymnastics and is once again making history right away.
The ‘Rocks competed in a dual meet with Columbus East last Saturday to being their season. Westfield won 101.60-93.50; the Shamrocks’ score is a new school record.
“We learned from last year what will help us score better,” said Lynn Moskovitz, who returns as head coach for the Shamrocks. Moskovitz said Westfield is “not only learning new skills, but also learning skills that would score better in high school gymnastics.”
The ‘Rocks have several returners from last season. Senior Elianna Reynolds is back; she had the highest all-around score at Columbus East with a 34.60 and won two events: the floor exercise with an 8.95 and the uneven bars with a 7.95. Reynolds has committed to Trine University, where she will be part of the acrobatics and tumbling program.
Westfield has two more seniors on its roster: Heidi Burke, who is back for another year and Sara Borek, a new member of the team. Juniors Isa Galan and Layla Ryan are both returning gymnasts, with another junior, Blair Watts, joining the team. Sophomore Madelyn Doran is another returner, with freshman Avery Mason a newcomer.
“We’ve grown our coaching staff, so we have two assistant coaches now,” said Moskovitz.
The Shamrocks’ best event in their meet last week was the floor, where they totaled 26.35 points. After Reynolds’ first-place finish, Galan was second with 8.85, followed by Mason with an 8.55.
Westfield also had a strong vault performance with a 26.25. Doran was the runner-up with an 8.80, Reynolds third with an 8.75, and Mason and Galan tied for fourth with 8.7s. Reynolds also scored an 8.95 on the balance beam.
“We start our standards every day of doing our best and we’ll just see where that leads,” said Moskovitz. The coach said doing that reinforces to the gymnasts that “they are capable of doing good things,” and they apply that to each and every practice.
Westfield’s next meet is Tuesday against New Palestine at the Gymnastics Company, which is located on the south side of Indianapolis. The Shamrocks travel to Huntington North for a three-team meet with HN and Logansport on Monday, Jan. 22, then travel to Noblesville on Thursday, Jan. 25. Moskovitz said it will be nice to compete at Noblesville so the Shamrocks can have their fans come to the meet.
Results from the meet with Columbus East now follow.
Team score: Westfield 101.60, Columbus East 93.50.
All-around scores: 2. Elianna Reynolds 34.60, 3. Isa Galan 34.00, 5. Avery Mason 31.15, 6. Madelyn Doran 30.45, 7. Sara Borek 29.30.
Vault: 2. Doran 8.80, 3. Reynolds 8.75, T4. Mason 8.70; Galan 8.70, 6. Heidi Burke 8.50, 8. Borek 7.80.
Uneven bars: 1. Reynolds 7.95, T3. Galan 7.65; Mason 7.65, 6. Doran 6.55, 7. Borek 6.45.
Balance beam: 2. Reynolds 8.95, 3. Galan 8.80, 4. Borek 8.00, 6. Burke 6.80, 7. Doran 6.70, 8. Mason 6.25.
Floor exercise: 1. Reynolds 8.95, 2. Galan 8.85, 3. Mason 8.55, 4. Doran 8.40, 5. Burke 8.25, 8. Borek 7.05.
Floor exercise reserve: 1. Blair Watts 7.80.
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The Noblesville gymnastics team also began its season last Saturday, participating in the Logansport Pairs.
The team of Valorey Bittles and Emmy Leckrone finished eighth overall with a score of 30.65. Both gymnasts competed in two rotations – Leckrone scored an 8.45 in the vault and a 7.55 on the bars, while Bittles scored a 7.85 on the floor and a 6.80 on beam.
Ethan Rivers and Kylie Lotridge placed ninth with a 29.60; Lotridge scored 8.40 on floor and 8.20 on bars, with Rivers scoring 7.95 on vault and 5.05 on beam. Lydia Blackwell scored a 7.85 on vault; she and Lilly Martin teamed for an 18.10 score.
The Millers have nine gymnasts on their roster. Alayna Lotridge is a senior, Rivers is a junior and Kylie Lotridge is a sophomore. The others are all freshmen: Bittles, Blackwell, Chloe Harris, Leckrone, Martin and Alina Skryabnev.
Noblesville is back in action Saturday at the Franklin Central Invitational. Fishers will open its season at that tournament as well.