With two of its top four gymnasts out of action, Columbus North knew it needed improvement from its other gymnasts in Thursday night’s home finale to approach the season-high score the they put up on Tuesday night.
The fourth-ranked Bull Dogs didn’t get that season-best overall score, but they came within a point in a 109.1 to 104.5 win against Owen Valley.
North was missing No. 2 gymnast Sami Heathcote, who was in Chicago for a scholarship interview. Fellow senior Ashley Niebrugge, who is recovering from an injured toe, competed only junior varsity on the bars.
"I’m really pleased," North co-coach Bob Arthur said. "The girls stepped up in Sami’s absence. I had anticipated about a two-point drop in our normal team score, but we had some really good performances from Alayne (Davis), and Madi Edwards really stepped it up on bars and on beam. I’m real proud of the girls in how they handled this. We needed that."
[sc:text-divider text-divider-title=”Story continues below gallery” ]Click here to purchase photos from this gallery
Emily Moore won all four individual events and put up a season-best 38.275 to win the all-around. She won the vault (9.475), bars (9.475), beam (9.725) and floor (9.6).
"I’m making progress," Moore said. "But I think I could still do better because I’m not yet beating my (career-best) all-around score."
Davis, a senior competing in her final home meet, assumed Heathcote’s role and set personal-bests in finishing second on the floor (9.375) and in the all-around (35.4). She also took third on the vault (9.05) and beam (8.925).
"I definitely had to step up to fill Sami’s shoes," Davis said. "I think that I did perform well today, but I had some minor errors that I could have cleaned up to do better."
Madi Edwards finished second on the bars (8.75) and fourth on the beam (8.85). Lindsey Mullis took third on the bars (8.575).
The Bull Dogs scored a 27.225 on the vault, 26.8 on the bars, 27.5 on the beam and 27.575 on the floor.
"Madi, Alayne, Grace, Lindsey on bars — they all did a good job," North co-coach Sandy Freshour said. "Our girls worked really hard (Wednesday) night to improve things, and they knocked it out of the park with this score. That is the direction we want to be moving as we get closer to the tournament."
