Edgewood gymnastics has had some mighty big leaps this year.
And thanks to new rules for IHSAA postseason advancement, took four more at Friday’s Franklin Central Sectional.
At the last meet of the regular season, the Mustangs, the only team competing in Monroe County this season, recorded a program record 99.2 in a met at Seymour. They hoped to use that as a springboard into the postseason.
“We had a good season and a great meet that meet,” Edgewood coach Hana Dodds said. “We were gearing up with a lot of mid-season upgrades, and it was awesome to see them step up and do our skills and train harder on those skills to get ready for sectionals.”
Edgewood fell just short in the team standings at the sectional as Columbus North (104.75), Noblesville (104.0) and Roncalli (103.575) took the top three advancing spots. Edgewood was fifth at 96.825.
But in addition to the top six in each individual category (vault, beam, bars, floor and all-around), the IHSAA will also take the next three gymnasts not on one of the advancing teams.
That opened the door for three Mustangs to compete at next Friday’s Franklin Central Regional, the first qualifiers since all-arounder Alexis Ware in 2019-20, the first two years Edgewood competed after reviving a program that was dropped in the 1980s.
Freshman Miley Burks has led the way this season and did so again at sectional, taking 12th in the all-around at 32.175 to earn the last qualifying spot. She was also ninth on bars (7.875) to qualify in that event as well.
“(She) has been a team staple this year,” Dodds said. “She is very consistent with her scores all season. She works hard in the gym and is probably our MVP this year.
“She just has a strong work ethic that’s proven to be good for her. She’s competing some harder skills she didn’t have coming in.”
Also going is junior captain Nerissa Zelhoff-Arriaga, who took seventh in the vault (8.525), and Mona Theis, who tied for 10th on bars. Zelhoff-Arriaga was just behind Burks in the all-around standings at 32.175.
“Nerissa has been putting in a consistent vault and floor for us,” Dodds said. “That’s been fun to watch. She’s also doing harder skills on floor.”
Dodds said vault and floor were the team’s strengths this season and vault is where the Mustangs scored highest at 25.075. They had a 24.6 on floor where lone senior Bella Carson had the high score of 8.425 to tie for 17th.
“We’ve got some good tumbling and power vaults,” Dodds said. “The girls have done a good job controlling their landings and not getting minor deductions.
“We’ve struggled on beam and bar. They’re just our weaker events. Miley was competing a new skill on beam the last three meets and scoring well.”
Greta Vagedes had Edgewood’s top beam performance, placing 20th at 8.05.
TEAM SCORES: Columbus North 104.75; Noblesville 104.0; Roncalli 103.575; Franklin Central 99.175; Edgewood 96.825; Columbus East 92.0; Seymour 89.925.
Top 6 and next 3 not on advancing teams (noted by *) advance
VAULT: 1. Hailey Nobbe, Nob 9.2; T2. Bethany Lewis, CE 9.05; Valorey Bittles, Nob 9.05; 4. Emiko Vecchio, R 8.7; 5. Ava Rebennack, FC 8.675; 6. Ellie McIntier, CN 8.6 (9. Nerissa Zelhoff-Arriaga, Edg 8.525*; T15. Miley Burks, Edg 8.35; T21. Mona Theis, Edg 8.2; Adrianna Minnick, Edg 8.2).
BARS: 1. Rebennack, FC 9.0; T2. Lewis, CE 8.825; Hayden Harper, CN 8.825; 4. Nobbe, Nob 8.65; 5. Claire May, R 8.5; 6. Katie Vokes, R 8.425. (9. Burks, Edg 7.875*; T10. Theis, Edg 7.85*; 16. Zelhoff-Arriaga, Edg 7.55; 22. Greta Vagedes, Edg 6.85).
BEAM: 1. Harper, CN 9.4; 2. McIntier, CN 9.225; 3. Bittles, Nob 9.2; T4. Hannah Perry, CN 9.025; Elaina Shutta, R 9.025; 6. Rebbenack, FC 8.9. (20. Vagedes, Edg 8.05; 22. Zelhoff-Arriaga, Edg 7.95; T23. Burks, Edg 7.875; 29. Minnick, Edg 7.65).
FLOOR: 1. Lewis, CE 9.3; 2. Rebennack, FC 9.15; T3. Harper, CN 9.025; Perry, CN 9.025; 5. Emmerson Leckrone, Nob 9.0; 6. McIntier, CN 8.975. (T17. Bella Carson, Edg 8.425; 21. Zelhoff-Arriaga, Edg 8.1; 22. Burks, Edg 8.075; T24. Theis, Edg 7.975).
ALL-AROUND: 1. Lewis, CE 35.775; 2. Rebennack, FC 35.725; 3. Harper, CN 35.7; 4. Nobbe, Nob 35.575; 5. McIntier, CN 35.2; 6. Bittles, Nob 34.825. (12. Burks, Edg 32.175*; 13. Zelhoff-Arriaga, Edg 32.125).
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Edgewood gymnastics results from IHSAA Franklin Central sectional
