Mowers helps vault Masconomet to title
Junior leads school to gymnastics championship
TEWKSBURY — Masconomet’s Gracy Mowers and Algonquin’s Elizabeth Debroczy battled back and forth Monday afternoon at the State Individual Girls Gymnastics All-Around Championships. Debroczy was last year’s champion, while Mowers was the highest seeded gymnast coming into the annual pre-sectionals showdown.
Mowers and Debroczy traded event titles and showed off tremendous floor exercise difficulty and choreography, but it was Mowers who would come out with the win, 38.525 versus Debroczy’s 38.075 at Tewksbury Memorial High School. The meet was sponsored by the Massachusetts High School Gymnastics Coaches.
For Mowers, the victory was sweet, considering her fourth-place performance at last year’s State Individuals was far from what she wanted it to be.
“It definitely feels amazing after last year wasn’t my best competition,” said the Masconomet junior. “It just feels good to come out here and show what I wanted to show.”
Mowers started the afternoon with a 9.6 on vault, which won the apparatus, and a 9.5 on uneven bars, good for second. Balance beam had been her nemesis last year at this meet, but she hit this time around, earning a 9.7. When she got to her last event, floor exercise, she had the jam-packed crowd’s full attention as she opened with a double pike. Her 9.725 won her not just the floor title, but clinched the allaround win.
Debroczy also had a stellar meet, especially with her floor exercise that included several choreographic nods to reigning Olympic champion Simone Biles. Her difficult tumbling and great form earned her 9.5 on floor. She also clinched the meet’s balance beam title with a highest score of 9.775.
Longtime Bridgewater
Raynham/West Bridgewater standout Olivia Keyes took third place with a 37.6. Like Mowers, the senior suffered some frustration at this meet last year, and was glad to perform to her potential this time around.
“I’m super proud of my performance today because the last three years at this event have not been my best,” said Keyes.
Keyes placed second on balance beam with a 9.725 and fourth on floor exercise with a 9.375.
The promising program at Haverhill earned a big victory at this meet, as senior Maren Eramo, who has already set several school records, took fourth place with a 37.25. Her 9.45 on vault was her high score of the day.