Finals Preview: To Catch a Comet
March 7, 2013
The most hopeful of MHSAA gymnastics teams have been forced to chase Grand Ledge for more than five seasons.
But of any Finals weekend during the Comets' half-decade run of perfection, this could be the one other teams make their strongest push to catch up.
Grand Ledge has won five straight team titles, six straight Division 1 and two straight Division 2 individual championships. But at least one of those streaks looks possible to end this weekend at Plymouth High School.
Team Finals are Friday beginning at 2 p.m., with Individual Finals at noon Saturday – with both divisions running concurrently this year instead of at separate times as in years past.
Click for a complete list of qualifiers, Regional results and this weekend’s rotation schedules, and see below for teams and individuals who should make a run at the top.
Team contenders
Canton: The Chiefs definitely made Grand Ledge a little nervous last season on the way to finishing runner-up for the second straight, this time with a score of 148.575. And they no doubt are still on the Comets’ minds after nearly ending Grand Ledge’s five-year event winning streak by leading their Canton Invitational with one round left Feb. 2 – before the Comets moved ahead at the end. The Chiefs won their Regional with a score of 145.95, more than five points better than the field, and placed the top four Division 1 individual finishers at that event. Jocelyn Moraw, Maddie Toal, Melissa Green and Nicole Lasecki all posted scores of at least 35.650, and Erica Lucas was second in Division 2 with a score of 35.875.
Farmington: The Falcons similarly dominated their Regional, winning by nearly four points with a score of 142.95, and should climb after taking fifth at last season’s MHSAA Final. Farmington also posted an impressive home invitational win on Jan. 19, edging Canton by nine tenths of a point for that title. Farmington has one Division 1 all-around qualifier this weekend, freshman Carina Wright, plus placed four of the top five in Division 2 at that Regional.
Grand Ledge: The dynasty continues to rise. The Comets haven’t lost or finished second at an event since coming in as runner-up at the 2007 MHSAA Final – a stretch including five title wins and nearly 100 events total over the last five seasons. Grand Ledge won the Rockford Regional with a score of 149.325, 5.8 points more than the field and tops of all Regionals this season. Senior Sara Peltier and freshman Rachel Hogan both made the Division 1 individual all-around Saturday, while senior Lauren Clark and junior Presley Allison took the top two spots in Division 2 at the Regional.
Division 1
Kylie Dudek, Coldwater senior: After finishing fifth in Division 1 last season with a score of 37.550, Dudek should push for the top three after coming in third at Rockford with a score of 37.350. She won vault at the Regional with a score of 9.8.
Ashley Hextall, Pinckney senior: Hextall won the Mason Regional all-around with a score of 36.950 that included wins on bars (9.125) and floor (9.575). She finished sixth at the Division 2 Final last season with a score of 36.425.
Jocelyn Moraw, Canton sophomore: One of a strong group of Chiefs, Moraw won her Regional with a score of 37.150 that included a win on bars (9.2). She placed eighth in Division 1 last season with a score of 36.900 after finishing among the top nine on three apparatuses and the top 14 on all four.
Madi Myers, Rockford/Sparta freshman: She took last week’s Regionals by storm, beating the Grand Ledge contenders with a score of 38.925 – the best in any Regional this season. She finished first on beam (9.775), bars (9.85) and floor (9.7) and might be the gymnast to beat Saturday.
Sara Peltier, Grand Ledge senior: The Comets annually find a new standout to top the lineup, and Peltier took over this season for graduated Division 1 champ Christine Wilson. Peltier won the Division 2 championship last season with a score of 37.275, and finished second to Myers at the Rockford Regional with a score of 37.575 despite only an 8.8 on beam.
Abbey Robb, Birmingham senior: She could push into the mix after finishing second at the Troy Athens Regional with an all-around score of 37.15. She won vault that day with a 9.5.
Christina Shabet, Troy junior: She also is a favorite this season after finishing seventh in 2012 with a score of 36.975. Shabet won her Regional with a 38.375, 1.2 better than the rest of the competition, and with first places on beam (9.5), floor (9.825) and bars (9.7).
Division 2
Emma Abessinio, Grosse Pointe United senior: She competed in the Division 2 Final in two events last season, but should push for a strong all-around finish this weekend. She won her Regional with a score of 36.625, which included wins on floor (9.55), beam (9.275) and bars (8.9).
Presley Allison, Grand Ledge junior: She’s due to finish first soon after placing third both of her first two high school seasons. She was second to teammate Lauren Clark at the Rockford Regional with a score of 37.575 and won bars (9.45) and beam (9.675).
Lauren Clark, Grand Ledge senior: She should be the Division 2 individual favorite after finishing runner-up by five hundredths of a point last season with a score of 37.225. She won her Regional last week with a score of 37.800 and with first places on vault (9.6) and floor (9.5).
Marie Clark, Troy Athens/Auburn Hills Avondale sophomore: Top-five finishes in three events led to a Regional championship last weekend. Clark scored 35.500 in the win.
Erica Lucas, Canton junior: Last season’s Division 2 MHSAA vault champion won that event again at last week’s Regional with a score of 9.35. But she also finished second all-around at the Regional with a score of 35.875, and should contend for that title this weekend.
Andrea Merlotti, Salem senior: She should move up quite a bit after finishing 21st in the Division 2 all-around at last season’s Finals with a score of 33.625. She finished third at her Regional with a 35.800, with top-four finishes on three apparatuses.
Karry Modolo, Freeland senior: She won the Mason Regional by nearly a point with a score of 36.200, with wins on beam (9.3) and vault (9.2). She finished 19th at the MHSAA Final last season with a score of 34.050.
PHOTO: Pinckney senior Ashley Hextall competes during last season's MHSAA Division 2 Final. She'll move up to Division 1 this weekend. (Click to see more at HighSchoolSportsScene.com.)
Finals Preview: Grand Ledge Seeks 7
March 6, 2014
By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor
Arguably the most impressive current winning streak in any MHSAA sport will be on the line Friday at Plymouth High School.
The Grand Ledge gymnastics team has won more than 100 straight events – duals and invitationals – and will compete for a seventh straight MHSAA Finals team championship.
The reigning Division 1 and 2 individual champions also will be back for Saturday’s competition – and this time both compete in Division 1.
Team Finals are Friday beginning at 2 p.m., with Individual Finals at noon Saturday. Click for a complete list of qualifiers, Regional results and this weekend’s rotation schedules, and see below for some of the teams and individuals who could make a run at the top.
Team contenders
Grand Ledge – At this point, the championship is Grand Ledge’s to lose. Grand Ledge’s 145.050 was the second-highest Regional score in the state, and five of last season’s top seven gymnasts should make the Comets a contender again – even if numerically they may not be the favorite this time.
Canton – After three straight runner-up finishes, Canton could finally end Grand Ledge’s winning streak featuring a number of top athletes who have gained plenty of experience the last few seasons. Canton’s 147.650 was the highest Regional score in the state last week, and the Chiefs also won their invite – generally the most prestigious event of the regular season – in February.
Grand Rapids Forest Hills – With three Division 1 contributors and a host of veterans, Forest Hills looks good to move up from last season’s sixth-place finish. Its 144.075 to finish second at the Regional indicates the potential to push into the top three.
Farmington – The state’s power program before Grand Ledge and runner-up to the Comets in 2010 and 2008, Farmington is back in the mix after finishing third at last season’s Final. The 144.575 score to win the Regional was the third highest in the state last week.
Division 1
Presley Allison, Grand Ledge senior – Last year’s Division 2 individual champion is a contender again after moving up a level. She won vault and beam at her Regional and finished second only to teammate Rachel Hogan with an all-around score of 37.975.
Paige Blythe, Howell senior – Tied for first at the Kensington Lakes Activities Association meet with a score of 36.875 and finished runner-up at her Regional after taking 13th at last season’s Division 1 Final.
Melissa Green, Canton senior – Last season’s fourth-place finisher in Division 1 at the MHSAA Final, she won a tough Regional last week with a score of 37.550 while finishing first on floor and vault.
Rachel Hogan, Grand Ledge sophomore – Contributed on last season’s team champion despite being a freshman. She also finished 10th in the Division 1 individual standings and won the championship on floor. She won her Regional last weekend in 38.100.
Morgan Korf, Rockford/Sparta sophomore – Finished 11th in the Division 1 all-around as a freshman and took third at her Regional with a score of 36.025, finishing just behind the pair of Grand Ledge standouts.
Jocelyn Moraw, Canton junior – Won the Division 1 Final on beam in 2013 and is an all-around contender as well after placing fifth last season. Moraw finished second to teammate Green at the Regional with a score of 37.475.
Christina Shabet, Troy senior – The reigning Division 1 individual champion pulled off an all-around effort last season with places of second, fifth, tied for seventh and 12th on the four apparatuses. She distanced herself at last weekend’s Regional with a 38.525 score to win.
Carina Wright, Farmington sophomore – The only one who hung with Shabet at their Regional, Wright finished second with 37 points. She hung with Shabet at last season’s Final as well, finishing a close third, only .325 points back of the champion.
Division 2
Lauren DeHaan, Lowell junior – Finished second at her Regional with a score of 35.350 after competing on beam and vault at the 2013 Division 2 Final.
Hailey Hodgson, Canton sophomore – Tied teammate Erica Lucas for the Regional championship with an all-around score of 35.825; she placed second on two apparatuses, tied for fourth and finished fifth on the other two.
Meredith Jonik, Farmington senior – Last season’s fourth-place finisher in Division 2 is one of the favorites again. She won her Regional with a score of 36.400, placing first on bars.
Erica Lucas, Canton senior – Won the Division 2 vault championship the last two seasons and might be the all-around favorite. She tied for first at her Regional with Hodgson with a score of 35.825 after finishing ninth all-around at last season’s Final.
Julia Mastracci, Troy Athens/Avondale – Finished runner-up to Jonik at their Regional with an all-around score of 35.800. She was eighth at last season’s Final and should push for a top-five finish this time.
Brianna Rhoad, Livonia Blue – Finished seventh at last season’s Division 2 Final. She took an impressive third behind the Canton pair at their Regional with a score of 35.700.
Cassidy Terhorst, Grand Rapids Forest Hills sophomore – Finished first at her Regional with a score of 36.500 after taking first places on three apparatuses.
PHOTO: Grand Ledge poses with its championship trophy after winning its Regional last week. (Photo courtesy of Greg Long).