Misiura one to watch in ’24
Light to shine on state’s best
December marks the beginning of high school gymnastics season, and it also is playlist season, in which many are eager to share their favorite songs of the past year.
What if the two converged and there was a playlist of must-see routines for gymnasts in the region? It would be chock-full of highly skilled routines, showcasing the depth of the sport in the Bay State.
That playlist would include:
Everything Bella Misiura does — The defending North all-around champion led Masconomet to its fourth consecutive state title last March. Now the Penn State-bound senior captain is dedicated to winning another state title, and has brought her club coach, Vasko Vetzev, the girls’ director at Middleton’s Yellow Jackets Gymnastics, along with her.
“I’ve been coaching her ever since I moved to Yellow Jackets seven years ago,” said Vetzev, who was hired at Masco in the fall. “Obviously, I’ve coached many great girls, but this kid’s work ethic is amazing. She never takes anything for granted. She is what she is because of her work ethic.”
Misiura is the rare high school gymnast who can score above 9.5 on all four apparatus, including stellar vaults that scored a 9.825 at the state championships. In the offseason, she was one of the lone New Englanders invited to USA Gymnastics’ developmental program national camp in Texas, and has been training Yurchenko 1.5 vaults and double fulls on floor exercise.
Vetzev is excited to lead his first high school team, which is made of mostly his Yellow Jackets gymnasts.
“There will be a lot of competition,” said Vetzev. “We’re not afraid of that. That’s how champions are made.”
A Central Catholic newcomer’s bars routine — That competition Vetzev speaks of includes neighboring Danvers and last season’s North champion, Central Catholic. Many of the Raiders’ gymnasts also train at Yellow Jackets, including California transplant Sophia Tressler. The junior is new to Central Catholic, and was a competitive Level 10 gymnast at West Valley Gymnastics School, a well-known gym in the Bay Area.
Raiders coach Heather Fusco, the reigning Globe Coach of the Year, says Tressler’s uneven bars routine is going to impress.
“She can double back and double layout for a dismount,” said Fusco.
Fusco believes that the Raiders can improve upon last year’s third-place finish at states, especially with the return of veterans Riley Salerno and Callie McCarthy.
“We’re going to be strong, maybe even stronger than last year,” said Fusco, who boasts 23 gymnasts on her squad.
Methuen’s national powerhouse on vault — The Rangers’ co-ed squad boasts junior Divier Ramos-Delgado, an elite gymnast who trains out of Interstate Gymnastics. Ramos-Delgado finished ninth in the all-around in his age group at this summer’s Xfinity US Gymnastics Championships, including a fifth place on pommel horse.
At Methuen’s opening meet Dec. 16 vs. Lowell and Tewksbury, his Yurchenko layout set the school record, scoring a 9.95. He also is capable of scoring 9.6 or above on floor exercise.
A comeback queen on floor exercise — Bridgewater-Raynham/West Bridgewater sophomore Lily Moreira will be called on to fill the shoes of the team’s graduated powerhouse Katie Russo. Coach Stephen Cudworth said Moreira’s floor exercise is one to watch, and it definitely was at March’s state championships, scoring a 9.3 and landing her in seventh in the all-around. Moreira’s success is remarkable given that, in 2020, she was struck by a car and was in the ICU for 12 days. BR/WB won last season’s South Sectionals, and hope to repeat this season.
A perfect 10 on vault for Westford Academy —Oneof the biggest stories from last season was the Grey Ghosts’ Maggie Murphy scoring a perfect 10 on vault at a regular-season meet. In the postseason, she finished second in the allaround at the State Individual Championships and fourth allaround at the North Sectional meet. The Maryland-bound senior will be leaned on to power a small Westford team hoping to qualify for sectionals again.
A junior lifting North Andover back to the top — The season’s first 140+ score was posted by North Andover Dec. 16, thanks to the all-around prowess of two-time All-Merrimack Valley Conference selection Carlin Wong. The junior was limited due to injury last season, but still won the State Individual floor exercise title. That event is where coach Kristina Rando believes she shines: she scored 9.5 in the seasonopening meet.
Two Tri-Valley League stars — Medway/Holliston/ Milford/Millis has two can’tmiss routines, with junior Greta Wolfgang one of the state’s best on vault (she finished third at State Individuals with a 9.45 last season), and senior Emmeline Stoetzel showing stunning skills on floor, with scores 9.5 or above. Both gymnasts were key to the co-op’s fourth-place finish at South Sectionals and fourth-place finish on vault at the state championships.