Masconomet goes back-to-back in the gym

NORTHBORO – Masconomet needed a strong second round to defend its North Sectional title last week. But while they didn’t necessarily cruise in the State Championships, the Chieftains certainly saved their best for last.

Masconomet made it back-to-back state titles after strong floor routines from Catherine DiNanno (9.25), Emma Quirk (9.5), and junior standout Gracy

Mowers (9.575) to propel the victors to a 148.625 mark. The Chieftains finish was 3.3 points better than runner-up Algonquin as perennial state qualifier Bridgewater-Raynham/West Bridgewater (144.625) paced the rest of the field in third.

All three teams now qualify for the New England Regionals March 10 in Fairfield, Connecticut.

“Our seniors are the ones who really stepped it up and also Emma Quirk because we have so much depth,” said Masconomet head coach, Alicia Gomes.

Seniors Nicole Bonacorso, Kyra Flack, and DiNanno went out in style in their final year as state champions for Gomes, but the pre-match focus was on Mowers, as the junior was sick all week with a 102-degree fever and wasn’t a lock to compete.

This season’s individual champion was stellar, placing first on the vault with a 9.825 and finishing up the day on the floor with a 9.575 – good enough for second place.

“We were just going event by event with (Gracy) and kind of just feeling it out and see how she was doing. She was amazing and stepped it up like she always does,” added Gomes.

Quirk, who was a state champion on the beam last year as a freshman, placed tied for eighth overall and took second place in her bread and butter event with a 9.525 for the Chieftains.

While Mansfield trailed the top three with a fifthplace finish (142.35), junior Erin Hurley was outstanding for the Hornets. Hurley placed third overall and was stellar on the beam with a strong second-place finish with a 9.75 as teams had to work especially hard with some scoring that seemed tough throughout.

“I knew coming in ranked seventh that the pressure was kind of off us to make it past fourth (place), but I just wanted to have a wicked good meet for our seniors because it was their last meet here and competing with them,” said Hurley.

Algonquin, which advanced to the states for second consecutive season after a seven-year drought, were thrilled with their runner-up finish. Elizabeth Debroczy pulled down the overall performance title with a 28.550 and placed first on the uneven bars (9.7) and just beat out Quirk on the beam for another top finish with a 9.775.

“When I competed I was scared to go up and nervous for myself but now that I am not competing I now have that nerve and wanting them all to do good,” said Algonquin head coach Jordan McStay, who competed in 2012 with Algonquin and is in her second season on staff. “But I love this, I am so proud of them and they had the meet of their life last week and meet of their lives this week so I can only imagine how New Englands are going to go.”