Allaround champ Laura Eberlein of Saratoga, in fifth year on varsity, tops all-star list.

Streaks’ senior improved in her fifth varsity season

Athlete of the Year: Laura Eberlein, Saratoga Springs

To win 18 straight championships, like the Saratoga Springs gymnastics team, there has to be a lot of movable parts where each does its job and when an individual one is needed most, it steps up and performs without a hitch.

Well, while claiming that 18th consecutive Section II crown, the Blue Streaks found another contributing part with senior Laura Eberlein.

Eberlein joined the varsity squad in eighth grade and has been a part of five of those 18 titles. Eberlein, however, was still putting things together during those first four seasons, qualifying for the state tournament for an event here and there rather than the all-around competition.

But now in her fifth and final season, Eberlein not only qualified as an all-around competitor at states but found herself atop the leaderboard at the Section II championships while doing it.

“It was something I’ve trained for. I always wanted to do this,” Eberlein said. “This was the highlight of my varsity career. This was the cherry on top.”

Eberlein won the Section II allaround with a score of 36.600, just ahead of last season’s all-around champion, teammate Ava Dallas, who placed second with a score of 36.225. Of note, Blue Streak Sophia Damiano was third with a 36.150 to complete the first-ever all-around sweep by a single team.

And with the win, Eberlein had finally earned an all-around place at states.

How did she do it? Hard work of course.

“I felt more confident this year because I trusted my training,” Eberlein said. “I spent a lot of hours in the gym. I knew I had the potential, I just needed to put it together.”

Still, the season can be a grind and it was no different for Eberlein despite all the hard work.

“I definitely had a few hardships along the way. I had a concussion, a knee injury, a foot injury, but it just made me more motivated to get back and keep going forward,” Eberlein said. “My team and my coaches were always there to back me up.”

So now that Eberlein’s playing time with the Blue Streaks has ended, maybe coaching is next?

“I will miss the team and the coaches the most,” Eberlein said. “They built me physically and mentally. I’d love to work with any age group of gymnasts in the future.”

First team

■ Laura Eberlein, Sr., Saratoga Springs: Took home the top individual all-around score at the Section II championships to help the Blue Streaks win another title.

■ Ava Dallas, So., Saratoga Springs: Finished with the best allaround score (35.825 for 13th place) for the Section II team at the state championships.

■ Rachel Drislane, Sr., Guilderland: Qualified as an all-around competitor at states for the Lady Dutch team.

■ Sophia Damiano, So., Saratoga Springs: Was third in the Section II championships in all-around to help the Blue Streaks claim the top three individual spots at the meet for the first time.

■ Alison Gray, So., Bethlehem: Competed in both the vault, balance beam and f loor exercises to cap a solid season for the Eagles.

■ Allison Rem, 8th grade, Guilderland: Finished with an 8.8 in beam and 8.975 in f loor at the state meet for the Lady Dutch.

Second team

■ Kate Della Ratta, Sr., Saratoga Springs

Mia Farley, So., Bethlehem

■ Meghan Wishart, So., Saratoga

■ Springs

Trinity Walters, So., Bethlehem

■ Chiara Poust, 8th grade, Bethle

■ hem

Coach of the Year

■ Deb Smarro, Saratoga Springs: Coach Smarro’s group dominated the Section II championship, taking the top three individual all-around spots for the first time ever. Oh, and the Blue Streaks also won the meet for the 18th straight season.