Decision to Return Pays Off for Hodge, Hill Adds Individual Title to Team Win
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 9, 2024
GRAND RAPIDS - Leah Hodge had every reason to believe her gymnastics career was over.
At various times, the Farmington United junior has overcome illness, knee surgery and finally an ankle injury at Saturday's MHSAA Individual Finals at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.
Put it all together and Hodge, who didn't compete as a freshman, admits she was content to call it a career prior to this season.
And then came a conversation with longtime friend and eventual teammate Elena Anzivino, who "convinced" her to give high school gymnastics a last shot. How does Hodge recall that conversation?
"She yelled at me," Hodge laughed. "She told me it would be fun and that I should do it. I mean, I'm here."
The friends' tale has a storybook ending as Hodge notched first place in Saturday's Division 1 all-around (38.0). She won bars (9.55) and was runner-up on vault (9.5) while taking fourth on beam (9.425) and sixth in floor (9.525).
Instead of focusing on how someone bounces back from myriad of problems, Hodge said the title can best be described in another way.
"Mostly I'm happy for the team," she said. "We took second overall (in Friday's Team Final) and we've come a long way. Every single person has improved."
Hodge said her toughest expected event was vault. But she was topped only by Rockford/Sparta's Leah Koch, who finished first with a 9.525.
"I knew if I did well there, I would have a shot at all-around. But floor was also tough for me because I was so tired," she said.
Another gymnast who overcame a couple of rugged moments was Howell senior Maria Petru, whose falls on the bars and beam ended any hopes of an all-around title. But she bounced back to win floor (9.7). She was fifth at the Finals in all-around a year ago and wound up fourth Saturday.
"It was a rough start," said the four-year letterwinner who will attend Spring Arbor in the fall. "I was excited to win floor, especially since I had been forgetting my routine lately. But I put all I had into it, and it felt good."
Novi's Alisa Shiriashi captured first on beam (9.7) to round out the Division 1 event winners. Shiriashi, who took three years off after ending her club gymnastics career, was making her first appearance at the Finals.
"A couple people convinced me to get back in it, and I'm very happy they did," she said. "They got me back into it, and I've got no regrets about that at all."
Salem senior Katie Stewart finished second in Division 1 all-around at 37.675, and Hartland sophomore Abby Griffen was third at 37.175.
The Division 2 winners were Anna Barczyk of Salem in vault (9.3) and floor (9.45), Aubrey Woodman of Farmington on bars (8.9), Kate Tracey of Rockford on beam (9.4) and Hailey Hill of Rockford in all-around (36.325).
Hill, who also competed all-around as Rockford/Sparta won Friday’s team championship, finished her high school career with her first individual Finals title after placing fourth in Division 2 a year ago.
Barczyk was second in Divison 2 all-around at 35.65, and Escanaba senior Sophia Wagner was third at 35.5.
PHOTOS (Top) Farmington United's Leah Hodge focuses while competing at Saturday's Individual Finals. (Middle) Salem's Katie Stewart competes on floor exercise. (Below) Rockford/Sparta's Hailey Hill also competes on floor on the way to winning the Division 2 all-around title. (Click for more from High School Sports Scene.)
Schrauben Finds Way Back to Gymnastics, Follows Path to Top of Finals Podium
By
Steve Vedder
Special for MHSAA.com
March 14, 2025
The last thing Sydnee Schrauben enjoys is time on her hands.
During her previous breaks between fall field hockey and spring lacrosse, the Rockford senior had opted to throw herself into the school’s musical theatre program and appeared in productions such as "Shrek the Musical" and "Mamma Mia."
But this winter, when the Rockford senior found herself with little to do between those sports, Schrauben decided to reevaluate a return to gymnastics, which she had dabbled in growing up but eventually gave up prior to entering high school.
She and close friend Ava Ezell opted to come out for the Rams team.
"I've never been one to not do something," Schrauben explained.
While Schrauben is accomplished enough athletically to land a lacrosse scholarship to Coker University in Huntsville, S.C., next season and an excellent field hockey player as well, she had modest expectations for gymnastics. After all, she hadn't participated since eighth grade when the mental and physical demands of the sport became too great.
Her thinking was that gymnastics would keep her close to friends, fulfill her competitive drive for a few months and generally just give her something to do after school. But accomplishing something as grand as winning a state title? No chance, Schrauben said.
She was wrong.
Schrauben placed among the top five in two events while winning the MHSAA Division 2 all-around championship last weekend at Grand Rapids Kenowa Hills.
It's a story that includes more than simply brushing aside long odds to win a championship. Schrauben hadn’t been around a balance beam or attempted a floor exercise for three years and enjoyed phenomenal success.
"I was very, very shocked," she said. "I was top-five in all-around in a couple meets, but after winning (the Final) I cried. It was a very surreal moment. Everyone has a dream (of) being awesome, but you never really think it's gonna happen to you."
Schrauben said she improved her scores as the season progressed and had a goal of scoring a 36 in all-around in her final meet. She actually bettered that by a fraction despite, she admitted, surviving a couple missteps.
Schrauben had to overcome not even placing among the top 36 in floor and finishing 25th in vault. That was done by winning beam (9.6) and taking fourth on bars (8.7). Her overall score of 36.025 in all-around outdistanced Rams teammates Kate Tracey (35.9) and Lillian Green (35.85), who finished second and third, respectively.
"I wanted a 36 in all-around and (to) hit all my routines, but that didn't happen,” Schrauben said. “But things worked out fine. I just told myself not to worry and go out and do the things I've done all year."
Not only did Schrauben have to shake off years’ worth of cobwebs to win, she also overcame a midseason ankle injury that put her foot in a boot for six weeks. But in a strange way, the injury may have benefitted her as she was able to step back from the sport and take a deep breath.
"I definitely fell behind, and when you stop training that's going to bring down your scores, but at the same time it gave me time to perfect working on bars and beam," she said.
"Bars and beam are my best events. I just wanted to have a solid meet and bump up my all-around score, and they helped me immensely."
Rockford coach Michelle Ankney said Schrauben's Finals title can best be described as the culmination of possessing athleticism, mental toughness, an ability to focus on what's at hand and a unique competitive drive.
"It's a combination of all the above," Ankney said. "She's a fantastic athlete, competitively very driven, has a mental talent and is fearless. She's doing this, and I just stared at her. I said, 'I can't believe she's doing this.'"
Winning was an amazing achievement, and a direct result of Schrauben attempting to harness something she's always recognized deep within herself.
"I get bored easily," she said. "I wanted to do something, whether it was a job or another sport or whatever. But then I found I kind of missed gymnastics. I thought doing something in my final season would bring back a love of sport and I'd end on a good note."
PHOTOS (Top) Rockford’s Sydnee Schrauben takes her first strides of a vault run during the MHSAA Individual Finals on March 8 at Kenowa Hills. (Middle) Schrauben takes a photo at a state gymnastics competition prior to high school. (Below) The Rams senior tops the podium for Division 2 all-around last weekend. (Click for more from this season’s Finals from High School Sports Scene.)