Mowers takes all-around title
TEWKSBURY — Masconomet/Lynnfield girls gymnastics did not have a single gymnast qualify to the annual state individual championships all-around competition two years ago on its way to finishing 13th at the North sectionals.
Last year, things started to look up for the program as one gymnast qualified to the all-around, and the team finished sixth in the North.
Masconomet/Lynnfield finally achieved contender status on the high school gymnastics scene yesterday as Gracy Mowers clinched the state individual allaround title with a clean set of routines that led to a winning score of 38.0 at Tewksbury High School.
“I just came in hoping to help the team in anyway that I could,” the Masconomet freshman said. “I think we’re looking pretty good.”
Mowers won the floor exercise with a routine that included a double pike, earning a 9.6.
On a day when the balance beam seemed out to get many of the meet’s top contenders, she hit a clean routine to take third on the apparatus. Mowers also finished second on vault.
“It feels amazing,” she said. “All my hard work has paid off.”
Finishing just .775 behind Mowers was Medway/ Holliston/Millis’ Carson Cronin. The Medway senior is in her first and only season of competing high school gymnastics, having reached Level 10 in her club career. In a meet filled with incredible vaulting, Cronin won the apparatus with a 9.7.
But it was her balance beam routine that Cronin was most proud of. She got impressive height on her jump series. On her dismount, she nearly lost her footing on the landing of the first portion but got enough momentum on the push off the beam to complete the twist cleanly.
“I’ve had a few solid beam routines, but not a ton, so it feels good to stay on,” Cronin said.
Cronin’s second-place finish keeps alive the Medway/Holliston/Millis haul in the state individual meet. The co-op has had at least one gymnast place in the top four in the past three years. Cronin is glad to keep that streak going.
“It’s been an awesome season,” Cronin said. “I love getting the high school experience and being with the team and having fun.”
Kat Poulopoulos of Medfield/Ashland/Dover-Sherborn took third place with a score of 36.825. She showed off difficult skills all morning, including a front handspring front tuck vault. Her only miscue came on balance beam, but her challenging skills kept her in the hunt.
“Everything went pretty well except beam,” said the Medfield sophomore. “It’s not my favorite, but everything else went pretty well.”
Attleboro’s Emma Humphrey improved on her fifth-place performance last year, finishing fourth with a 36.775. Mansfield continued its strong 2018 campaign by placing two gymnasts in the top six — Erin Hurley in fifth (36.75) and Lily Goulding in sixth (36.4).