Top area gymnasts met Jan. 24 at Cleveland Public Auditorium to compete in the High School Challenge, and Geauga County was well represented by gymnasts from Berkshire, Chagrin Falls, Chardon, Kenston, NDCL and West Geauga.
Top area gymnasts met Jan. 24 at Cleveland Public Auditorium to compete in the High School Challenge, and Geauga County was well represented by gymnasts from Berkshire, Chagrin Falls, Chardon, Kenston, NDCL and West Geauga.
Competing in the morning session were the Badgers, Hilltoppers, Lions, Tigers and Wolverines.
In the first session, five Geauga gymnasts finished in the top 20 overall: Angelina Colombi (5th – Chardon), Ava Cavelli (11th – West Geauga), Anna Barabas (15th – NDCL), Alie Ruchalski (18th – Berkshire) and Ella Williams (19th – Chardon).
Colombi scored among the top 10 in each individual event. She finished on the podium with a 4th place finish in the floor event (9.0), 6th place on beam (8.5), 7th place on bars (8.1), and 9th place on vault (8.3).
Afterwards, Colombi said one of her main goals for the meet was to score a nine, which she achieved in the floor event, where she stuck everything she tried.
This score helped her team finish 3rd overall in that event. Also helping the Hilltoppers place third in floor were Ella Williams (8.25), Aileana Stockton (8.3), Sierra Taylor (7.9) and Haylee Fay (7.7).
Hilltoppers Head Coach Kasey Lotycz, who also coaches the Wolverines, said Colombi had her best meet of the season.
“Angelina had her very best meet,” Coach Lotycz said. “She definitely PRed on almost all four events, so she hit four for four. Seeing her up on the podium brought tears to my eyes because she’s faced a lot of adversity due to injury.
“She really showed up today.”
Also reaching the podium was the Wolverines’ Ava Cavelli, who finished fourth on the bars (8.75), a score which helped the Wolverines finish sixth on the bars as a team.
Also helping West Geauga to place sixth on bars were Gabriella Gideon (7.0) Bella Sizler (6.9), Grace Hederstrom (6.7) and Jenna Aquila (5.3).
“My parallel arm bars was also very good today,” said Cavelli, attributing her success to hard work and commitment. “I think working hard in the gym and being consistent helps me.
“We had a lot of sticks on bars today. We’re upgrading skills, so I think it was a good day.”
After the competition, Coach Lotycz singled Cavelli out is an excellent athlete with amazing talent who had already taken first a few times this year.
“Such an exciting moment for Ava,” her coach said. “We’re so proud of her. She’s been working really hard (and) it really showed today, obviously, by getting up on that podium, and I couldn’t be more proud of Ava.
“We’re looking forward to seeing what she is capable of doing.”
Finishing in the top 10 on various events for the NDCL Lions was Ava Lewandowski. She finished fifth on the beam (8.55) and sixth on the vault (8.45). Barabas also finished 11th on floor (8.55).
“Ava had an awesome routine where she stuck her beam routine,” NDCL Lions Head Coach Alicia Lewandowski said. “Anna, she had an amazing floor routine, really showing off her skills and dance. Everybody loves it and gets into the routine.”
Competing in the last session of the meet were the Bombers. Kenston was led by All-Ohio gymnast Sofia Macias, who finished 15th, and Ryleigh Offutt, who finished 18th overall.
