The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Mentor tops Chardon for sectional crown
Cardinals’ Morgan captures all-around; Hilltoppers’ Benjamin finishes right behind
A torn foot ligament cost Mentor junior Kelsey Morgan almost all of her sophomore gymnastics season. Morgan’s first action after she recovered was the sectional gymnastics meet.
Morgan wasn’t back to 100 percent and could only participate in the bars and balance beam events.
A year later and fully healthy, Morgan was eager to compile a performance more to her liking.
At West Geauga on Feb. 17, Morgan won the bars and placed sixth or better in the other three events to finish as the meet’s all-around champion. Morgan’s effort led Mentor to its sixth consecutive sectional title.
“I’m so happy,” Morgan said. “I’m so proud of myself for all the work I put in, I’m so proud of my team for us advancing again. It feels so good to be healthy again.”
Morgan, the Greater Cleveland Conference Gymnast of the Year, won the bars with a 9.275. She placed sixth in the vault with a 9.125, third on beam at 9.25 and fifth in the floor exercise with a 9.125. Morgan’s 36.875 all-around score edged Chardon’s Kayla Benjamin’s 36.850.
“She knew that she’s just as good as everyone else. I told her to just go out there and show them what she had. She did awesome.” — Mentor coach Jessica Araps, on Kelsey Morgan
Mentor coach Jessica Araps said Morgan’s allaround championship was deserved.
“This year was really her chance to prove herself,” Araps said. “She knew that she’s just as good as everyone else. I told her to just go out there and show them what she had. She did awesome.”
Mentor won the team title with a score of 141.150. Chardon was the runnerup at 140.575. Hudson and Solon rounded out the four teams that advance to next week’s district meet.
The Cardinals won the vault and floor exercise. Mentor placed second on the balance beam and third in the bars.
“We just really pushed ourselves,” Morgan said. “We were confident, we trusted our training and we were there for each other, we supported each other.”
Benjamin impressed to lead Chardon’s runner-up team finish. Benjamin finished second in the bars and balance beam, fourth in vault and fifth in the floor exercise.
Coach Kasey Eichele saw more of the same from the Hilltoppers’ standout senior.
“Kayla was super consistent as always,” Eichele said. “She hit all of her events, she was a rock star today, she was very consistent. We’re hoping for some sort of a state title for her.”
Madison’s Gabby Blackford, the defending state champion in the vault, won the event. NDCL’s Tori Soria, Mentor’s Miranda Butterfield, Lake Catholic’s Mallory Malchesky, Mentor’s Hannah Parmertor, Chardon’s Chloe Budd, West Geauga’s Abbie Drayer and Mentor’s Mackenzi Gredence also advanced to the district meet in the event.
Morgan, Benjamin, Mayfield’s Rebecca Fritz, Butterfield and Chardon’s Emily Phillips advanced in the bars. Benjamin, Morgan, Butterfield, Budd and Fritz advanced to the district meet on the balance beam. Morgan, Blackford, Drayer, Benjamin, Chardon’s Margaret Hamulak, Parmertor and Fritz advanced in the floor exercise.
Morgan, Benjamin, Butterfield, Blackford, Fritz, Malchesky and Parmertor qualified for the district meet in the all-around.