In their last major tune-up before the Feb. 4 regional meet, all four county high school gymnastic teams faced off in their annual Quad at Hanover High School last Wednesday. Atlee took the team title with a score of 139.975 while Lee-Davis narrowly edged out Hanover for second, 133.05 to 132.09. With only five gymnasts in most events, Patrick Henry scored a solid 129.75 for fourth place.

  The battle for the All-Around title was equally as close. Lee-Davis senior Hannah Chenault beat out Patrick Henry’s Kristen Valasek by .025 for the crown; 36.7 to 36.675.

  The equality among the teams was evident as the four squads split first place finishes evenly. Atlee’s Allie Lewis took first with a 9.25 in the vault. Chenault claimed the floor routine title with a nearly flawless 9.55 performance. Hanover’s Hannah Burress took first on the beam with a 9.275 and Patrick Henry’s Valasek turned in impressive 9.475 on the uneven parallel bars.

  The Raiders claimed the team title on the strength of 11 ribbon winning performances. Chelsea Clark turned in outstanding routine on the floor to claim second with 9.125.

  “Chelsea Clark had the best floor routine of her life,” said Atlee coach Donna Kohler.

  Likewise, Brianna MacKay claimed second on the beam with a 9.075 routine. 

  Atlee dominated the vault, taking first (Lewis), fourth (MacKay) and fifth (Kate Lewis) while Samantha Thompson and Derika Banks tied for sixth.

  On the bars Abby Holmes took fourth, MacKay sixth and Allie Lewis was third. Lewis was also sixth on the beam.

  “I felt like we had a good strong performance,” Kohler said. “Our seniors led the way, Brianna MacKay, Abby Holmes, Chelsea Clark and Allie Lewis had good meets.”

  Chenault carried Lee-Davis to the second place finish by taking third or better in every event. The senior placed second on the bars with a 9.225, third on the vault (8.95) and third on the beam (8.975) to go along with her winning floor routine.

  “Hannah Chenault had a real good night,” said Lee-Davis coach Cy Witherow.
  Teammate Alex Armbrecht placed fifth on the beam.

  The Confederates were down a team member due to a late injury but the team did a good job of filling the void. “We had a couple of kids step up and perform well,” Witherow said, speaking of Armbrecht, Becca Fields and Shelby Wingold.

  A pair of Hannahs were the driving force behind Hanover’s third place finish. Hannah Burruss claimed fourth on the floor and fifth on the bars to go with her top beam routine. Hannah Andrzejewski was fifth on the floor as well as fifth on the vault.

  “They both had a great night,” said Hanover coach Jessica Moore. “Hannah Andrzejewski’s been battling injuries, which is what gymnastics does to the body and Hannah Burruss has done really well this season.”

  Moore emphasized a relaxed approach to the competition. “Our goal tonight was to have a good time,” she said. “A lot of people appeared to be stressing in warm ups and the whole point is if they’re in their heads they’re going to mess up so I just try to keep the mental game out of it and let them have a good time.”

  Patrick Henry’s Valasek scored 8.9 or better on every routine. The senior was second on the vault (9.2), third on the floor (9.1) and fourth on the beam (8.9) to go along with her first place bars routine.

  “She’s just feeling really comfortable throwing in all of her tricks,” said first year Patrick Henry coach Austin Beazley. “There’s a lot of competition this year so we have to throw in everything we have and that’s why we’re here to compete. The more you go out there and do it the more comfortable you get with it.”

  Beazley was pleased with how her team has come together of late. “I was so excited,” she said. “We’ve had a few- one just getting her tonsils out, one’s been hurt, so we’re just kind of getting everybody back and we have improved out score by about 10 points since our first meet so I’m really excited about that.”

  With the regionals rapidly approaching, each coach emphasized a need for fine tuning over the final weeks of the regular season.

  “We need to clean up a little bit everywhere,” Witherow said. “We’re losing some points in every event with little starts and stops; not being a fluid as we need to be. We lost probably a point and half on just bars by just pausing or not connecting like we need to.”

  Kohler concurred for her Raiders. “I feel like we can do better at regionals but I felt really good about their performances,” she said. “Still a few falls on beam and that’s going to be the key. Everybody tells you the key is to stick the beam and that’s all we can hope for.”
  “Just cleaning it up; cleaning up their routines,” Moore said. “Every little stub will cost you on the floor. Extra swings will cost you on bars. Obviously falls on beam but you’re either going to stay on it or you’re going to fall off.”

  On the other hand the Patriots need to work on their confidence. “We still get a little shaky on the balance beam, a little unsure of ourselves on the bars,” Beazley said. “Bars and beam we need to get the falls out of there.”

  With every meet producing tight results, Beazley indicated this would be one of the best regional competitions in recent years. “It’s going to be a close regionals this year,” she said. “It will definitely be fun to watch.”

  The regional meet takes place at Deep Run High School on Feb. 4.

(at Hanover)
Team results: Atlee 139.975, Lee-Davis 133.05, Hanover 132.09, Patrick Henry 129.075
Bars: Valasek (PH) 9.46; Chenault (LD) 9.225; A. Lewis (A) 9.2; Holmes (A) 9.125; Burress (H) 8.975 Vault: A. Lewis (A) 9.25; Valasek (PH) 9.2; Chenault (LD) 8.95; MacKay (A) 8.8; K. Lewis (A)8.65; Andrzejewski (H) 8.65;  Banks (A) 8.8; Thompson (A) 8.8. Beam: Burruss (H) 9.28; MacKay (A) 9.075; Chenault (LD) 8.975; Valasek (PH) 8.9; Ambrecht (LD) 8.675; A. Lewis (A) 8.65. Floor: Chenault (LD) 9.55; Clark (A) 9.125; Valasek (PH) 9.1; Burress (H) 9.0; Andrzejewski (H) 8.975; Fields (LD) 8.9. Allaround: Chenault (LD) 36.7; Valasek (PH) 36.675; A. Lewis (A) 35.95; Burress (H) 35.45; MacKay (A) 34.95; Banks (A) 33.575.