The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
10 area gymnasts advance to state meet
Kenston freshman Mary Cowan has been a gymnast since she was 5.
That long history in the sport didn’t make her immune to some butterflies in the district gymnastics meet at West Geauga on Feb. 22, though.
Shrugging off the nerves of her first district meet as a high school gymnast, Cowan placed in the top 10 in all four events — bars, beam, floor exercise and vault — which enabled her to place fourth in the all-around competition.
The spectacular performance allowed her to advance to the state meet Feb. 28-29 at Hillard Bradley.
“I’m so excited,” said Cowan, a bubbly ninth-grader. “I did everything to the best of my ability. My team also had a really good meet, so that’s exciting.
“I’ve been doing this pretty much my whole life. I definitely still get nervous, but I have to tell myself whatever happens, happens. I just have to give it my all.”
Cowan (37.15) was one of 10 News-Herald coverage area gymnasts who qualified in an individual event or in the all-around competition, joining fellow all-around state-qualifiers Ali Ange of West Geauga (10th, 36.00), Sophia Giancola of Gilmour (12th, 35.7) and Katie Gambino of Mayfield (15th, 35.575).
The top 17 in each of the four events, as well as the top 17 in All-Around, advanced to state, as did the top six teams.
Finishing in the top 17 in the beam were Cowan (fourth, 9.3), NDCL’s Jennie Bergles (10th, 9.125) and Giancola (17th, 8.9).
Finishing in the top 17 in the bars were Cowan (sixth, 9.125), Kenston’s Presley Gabram (13th, 8.925) and Chardon’s Chloe Budd (15th, 8.85).
Finishing in the top 17 in the floor exercise were Giancola (third, 9.4), Cowan and Mayfield’s Becca Fritz (tied for eighth with 9.3s) and Ange (12th, 9.15).
Finishing in the top 17 in the vault were Cowan (seventh, 9.425), NDCL’s Tori Soria (10th (9.3), Chardon’s Margaret Hamulak (12th, 9.275) and Giancola (15th (9.250).
No News-Herald coverage area team qualified as a unit for the state meet. Brecksville-Broadview Heights (147.55) ran away from the rest of the field, followed by fellow state qualifiers Brunswick (143.525), Hudson (141.225), Medina (140.175), Berea-Midpark (140.075) and North Royalton (140.075).
Cowan dazzled throughout the day, much like she did a week ago when she won the all-around tabulation at the sectional level.
“There’s always room for improvement,” she said, noting her excitement for her first all-around competition as a high school gymnast next week. “I just have to work hard in the gym this week.”
The one common thread of the four gymnasts from the area who qualified in the all-around next week is all four did so for the first time Feb. 22.
Ange has gutted through injuries the past few seasons. While the only event in which she qualified in the top 17 was the floor exercise (9.175), she was strong in all four events to get her into the top 17 in all-around.
She said participating in her home gymnasium and doing so on equipment she practices on daily helped her cause.
“It’s so exciting, especially with all the support from my teammates and family, especially my sister,” Ange said, noting her sister Samantha who plays college softball at Otterbein. “We’ve been through injuries, so (qualifying for state in the all-around) is exciting.”
Giancola is headed to state in the all-around after not qualifying for the district competition a year ago. A year ago, she fell in the balance beam event and never recovered. While she took a tumble in the bars in this year’s district event, her final event of the day, her score was still good enough to get her to the state level.
“This was my goal since last year at sectionals,” she said. “This year, it’s so exciting to make it for the allaround.”
When the announcement was made for the state qualifiers in the all-around, Mayfield’s Gambino got tears in her eyes. Like Giancola, she did not make it out of the sectional meet a year ago. But thanks to an increased workout regimen in the offseason, plus ramping up the level of difficulty in her routines, she made the grade this time.
“I was crying afterward,” Gambino said of her reaction. “I’m so happy. This has been the goal for a while.”