![Farmington United's Leah Hodge focuses at the start of an event Saturday.](/sites/default/files/2024-03/240309_gym_2H2.jpeg)
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.)
![](/sites/default/files/imported/Photos/120311_GLgym2H.jpg)
Individual Finals: Grand Ledge Sweeps Again
March 10, 2012
GRAND RAPIDS – Grand Ledge senior Christine Wilson followed up her team’s fifth-straight MHSAA team championship won Friday by claiming her second consecutive individual title Saturday at Kenowa Hills High School.
But this time, she won in Division 1.
Comets coach Duane Haring said earlier this season he believed Wilson, if she accomplished the feat, would be the first in MHSAA history to win both Division 2 and Divisions 1 championships. Wilson claimed Division 2 last season.
She finished off her high school career with a score Saturday of 38.400, including a first-place 9.7 on the uneven parallel bars and third places or better on all four apparatuses.
Troy Athens/Avondale senior Ashley Moskal finished second all-around in Division 1 with a score of 38.375 after finishing third in 2011. She finished first on floor exercise with a 9.8. Kenowa Hills/Grandville senior Taylor Tepper – the Division 1 runner-up the last two seasons – finished third this time with an all-around 38.30. She did win vault with a score of 9.675 and balance beam with a 9.625.
Division 2
Grand Ledge also claimed the top three places in the Division 2 individual competition, with junior Sara Peltier winning the championship with an all-around 37.275 that tied for sixth-highest in Division 2 Final history.
She was followed by Comets junior Lauren Clark (37.225) and sophomore Presley Allison (36.900).
Clark won the balance beam with a 9.475 and Peltier won the bars with a 9.7. Farmington senior Amanda Lumley improved on her 2010 Division 2 Final record on floor with a 9.625, and Canton sophomore Erica Lucas won the vault with a 9.55 after finishing fourth in 2011.
It marked the third season in the last five that Grand Ledge had the champion in both divisions.
Click for full Division 1 results and full Division 2 results.