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02/14/2023 09:39 AMFor the second-consecutive campaign, the Hand gymnastics team displayed in convincing fashion why it is the preeminent program within the Southern Connecticut Conference, following several sensational solo showings and a great collective performance as a club.
Hand entered the SCC Championship meet on Feb. 5 at Law as the defending league champion while holding a 14-0 record in dual-meet competition thus far this winter. The Tigers held onto their throne with another dominating performance to emerge on top.
The victory marked the Tigers’ second-straight conference crown and 23rd overall. Sophomore Brooke Anderson was named Most Outstanding Performer of the meet, as she finished first in three events of the floor, vault, and bars before being tops in the all-around.
“Winning SCCs back-to-back is an incredible feeling. It’s hard to create a team that is one of the best in the state, but in my opinion, it’s even harder to stay on top,” said Anderson. “I am extremely proud of all my teammates; not only for the ones competing but even more so for the ones on the sidelines keeping the energy high. For me, this was probably one of the first times this season that I hit 4-for-4 on events, and what a great time to do so!”
Hand scored 140.3 points as a team to outlast runner-up and host Law, who had 127.35 points. Rounding out the field were Foran (123.05 points), Mercy (95), and Hamden (63.95). The Tigers additionally finished first as a team in all four competitions.
“This was so exciting and rewarding after a long season of meets,” said junior captain Dylan Friedman on the team victory. “I’m proud of the team for our undefeated season and for claiming the 23rd SCC title at Hand. This program is so unbelievably strong, and our team’s work ethic exemplifies that aspect. We train, celebrate, and grow together and that is what sets us apart from all other gymnastics programs.”
For the vault, Anderson notched a score of 9.3, while her sophomore teammate Morgan Flickinger was runner-up with a tally of 9.0. Senior captain Morgan McMahon was fourth (8.6), and junior Hadley Reiss came in sixth (8.45). Hand scored a 35.35 as a group for the event.
Moving to the bars, Anderson led the pack by posting an 8.9. Flickinger was third (8.7), and then freshman Ella Speerli finished fifth (8.5) for the Tigers (34.5 team points).
“We will never take for granted what it takes and what it means to win,” said Head Coach Kelly Smith, who was named Coach of the Year. “We have been successful as a program in the SCC, but every team is different, and it was just as exciting this year as it’s been in the past. There is some pressure to win, but we view that pressure as a privilege. It’s a privilege for the coaches to work with these athletes day in and day out, and it’s a privilege that these athletes get to compete in this sport that they love. This is the first step in our quest for success down the line this season, and it gives us insight into how we are performing as a team and under additional pressure.”
On the floor exercises, Anderson paced all competitors with a score of 9.05. Flickinger was third with an 8.9, Speerli came in fourth (8.8), and fifth went to Reiss (8.7). The Tigers nabbed 35.45 points collectively.
Anderson topped out in the all-around with a total tally of 36.55, and then Flickinger was second with a 35.6 score. Reiss wound up in sixth with a 33.55, and then Speerli was 20th via a tally of 25.8 for the evening. Hand still emerged with 35.0 points as a whole to finish first in the event.
“It means so much to be able to take home the SCC title again,” said McMahon. “Our team works so hard to be the best gymnasts we can be and motivate each other through everything. Our uplifting spirits and supportive qualities as a team carry us to these wins. No matter the outcome, we always have each others’ backs. It feels amazing knowing that our hard work continues to pay off.”
Smith added that there truly is no weak link or spot within the Hand roster, creating a beautiful problem for any coach to have when they are trying to solve the quintessential postseason lineup equation.
“There are a lot of moving pieces during the season, and we’ve switched up our competitive lineup in pretty much every meet so far this season,” said Coach Smith. “We’ve got athletes moving in and out to rest. Really it’s a testament to our depth; we have so many different options as to how we can score well and, so far, no matter what combination of athletes we put out on the competition floor, we’ve been having success. It makes it incredibly difficult for the coaching staff to make lineup decisions for championship meets. Every athlete out of the six we put up on each event has an opportunity to produce a great score, and that is key to our success so far.”
Anderson additionally finished second for the beam, with a 9.3, to Law’s Natalie Morrell, who set an SCC Championship record for the event with a 9.6. Flickinger was right behind Anderson in third with a 9.0, while Speerli was sixth with an 8.5.
“This is the best competition Brooke has had this year and so far in her high school career,” said Coach Smith on Anderson. “She has upgraded her routine difficulty on several events, and she hit every event with near perfection tonight. She is a dynamic competitor, fierce and focused, and a lot of fun to watch. And we got to watch her absolutely crush it out there after all of the hard work she has put in. It was a really exciting moment for her and well deserved.”
Anderson, Flickinger, Reiss, Speerli, and McMahon were selected to the All-SCC Team on the evening as well. Per Smith’s reflections in the aftermath of the title win, each athlete certainly earned their spot on the squad.
“Morgan Flickinger had a great competition. This was not her strongest meet this season, and she came into SCCs after struggling with illness earlier in the week. Despite that, she turned in four great routines, medaling on every event and counting everywhere towards our team score. Ella Speerli turned in three of her best performances of the season, medaling on her three events. She was completely unfazed by the fact that this was a championship meet and really rose to the occasion. Hadley Reiss continues to be a major backbone in our team lineup. She has competed consistently in the all-around all three years and has made All-SCC and medaled in the all-around since she was a freshman. Morgan McMahon has been so instrumental on our team, competitively and otherwise, over the last four years, and she medaled in the two events she excels in the most, vault and floor, and she stuck her vault this year, which is no easy feat.”
The Tigers now look to defend another title from last winter in a state crown, with the state championships taking place on Saturday, Feb. 25, also at Law, as Hand looks for state championship No. 20. Hand has yet to learn which division it will be competing in, though the Tigers know their track record this season will bolster their confidence no matter the competitive pool they are placed in.
“We are hoping to continue our success this season at the State Championship and, if all goes well, qualify for the State Open and New Englands,” said Smith. “We’ve been consistently scoring among the best teams in the state, and although it depends on how the divisions fall, I think we have a great shot. This team has great depth and talent and that has served us well; we have six athletes competing in each event, all of whom can score well and, as a result, we can still score well when we aren’t perfect. That being said, our work leading up to the state meet is to prepare ourselves mentally and physically to hit all of our routines when it matters most.”
The complete Hand program roster includes seniors McMahon, Eva Alquist, Elisabeth Davern; Friedman, Nicole Quain, Reiss, Abby Simpson, Sydney Williams; sophomores Anderson, Olivia Consiglio, Flickinger, Abigail Lombardi, Avery Nairn; and freshmen Grace Burton, Kelly Kelly, and Speerli.