With standout returning from injury, East has sights set on championship

Columbus East had its state gymnastics title dreams dashed last season when standout Adi Minor severely sprained an ankle while warming up for the final regular-season meet.

Minor returned to compete only on the bars at the sectional and regional. At state, she did the bars, beam and floor, tying for a championship on the bars, in leading the Olympians to a sixth-place team finish.

Minor had the ankle scoped in July. She started working out a few weeks later and hasn’t had any problems since then

“She’s done real well to rehab everything over the summer and make that ankle stronger,” East coach Nancy Kirshman said. “She’s had a real good start to the season. We’ve added things here and there, but for the most part, her routines are where they should be.”

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Minor had the state’s best scores on the vault, bars, beam and all-around when she was injured last season. Kirshman calls her a candidate to win state in every event, including the all-around.

With Minor back in full health, plus the return of two other regulars and the addition of a couple promising freshmen, Kirshman thinks the Olympians can contend for this year’s state crown.

“This young group, if we’re where we can be, we can be right up there at the top,” Kirshman said. “They’re talented. When you have someone like Adi who is pulling the scores she is, the others just have to do their job, and we we sit right there in a very good position.”

Juniors Taylor Gaskill and Abby Lewis return from last year’s squad that finished third in the East sectional and regional and sixth at state. Lewis tied for sixth at state on the beam.

Freshmen Taylyn Lane brings plenty of experience from club gymnastics. Another freshman, Elise LaSell, and junior Lauren Martinez also could contribute.

“Taylor has worked very hard,” Kirshman said. “Taylyn brings a lot to the table. Abby can do a lot of things.”

Minor said the Olympians have had a good month of practice leading into Saturday’s season opener against Seymour.

“So far, our routines have been going really well, and our hopes are high,” Minor said. “We hope to win sectional and regional and not just place in the top three, and then at state, we want to place top three. I know these girls have enough talent for it.”

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The 2017-18 Columbus East gymnastics schedule:

Saturday;Seymour;10 a.m.

Tuesday;Franklin Central;6:30 p.m.

Jan. 8;Columbus North;6:30 p.m.

Jan. 20;Tri meet;10 a.m.

Jan. 27;at Merrillville Invitational;1 p.m.

Jan. 31;at Connersville;6:30 p.m.

Feb. 5;Bloomington South;6:30 p.m.

Feb. 14;Owen Valley;6:30 p.m.

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