Published January 17, 2020

By JENNIFER GENTILE

MELROSE—The Melrose High gymnastics team picked up their first win of the year by sweeping the Stoneham Spartans,139.3-134.55, last Friday evening at home at the MetroNorth YMCA in Saugus. Melrose’s score reflected the highest point value of the year and was a complete victory in all four events—bar, beam, floor and vault.

Melrose’s strongest performance was in the beam, where Melrose senior captain Katie Wright swept the night with an impressive score of 9.4. Fellow captain Ciara Smith along with Lucy Hannon, Sophia Weissman and Gabrielle Prodgers also scored in high 8.’s to allow Melrose to edge Stoneham in the event, 35.3-35. 

THE MELROSE High gymnastics team earned a home victory over Stoneham last week, 139.3 to 134.55. (Michelle Dell Isola photo)

Melrose began the night with a solid 35.2 finish in the vault behind the efforts of Brooke Heidebrecht, Taylor Pesce, Grace Burke, Ciara Smith and some event-high scores from Nicole Nzui (8.9) and Katie Wright (9.0). In the bars, Melrose competed Jane Harrington, Lucy Hannon, Grace Burke, Sophia Weissman, Ciara Smith and Katie Wright, with Smith and Wright earning the top scores. The floor capped off the night, and Melrose sent to the mat Taylor Pesce, Elana Simard, Grace Burke, Sophia Weissman, Ciara Smith and Katie Wright. Wright’s score of 9.3 represented Melrose’s best score and helped Melrose edge Stoneham, 35-34.25. 

Overall, Melrose’s all-around efforts from Ciara Smith and Katie Wright surpassed that of Sarah Norris and Keara Cronin of Stoneham.

Melrose head coach Denise Valdez saluted her athletes, especially her all-around performing seniors. “Katie Wright has earned many bonus points for high technical marks on her events, including a tsuk on vault and a floor routine that involves a double full twist, front handspring and front layout. She’s such a consistent performer and so clean. Then, you add her artistry and bonus work, and her point value goes way up.” 

Smith, meanwhile, enjoyed one of her strongest meets of the season. Says Valdez, “She really killed it on the bars against Stoneham, I was so proud of how strong it was.” She also credited the technical work of Taylor Pesce on floor (double full) and Grace Burke on bars (giant, giant, full dismount) and the overall progress of freshman Sofia Pritchard who has “great potential.” 

Overall, coach Valdez was delighted with the team’s cumulative effort. “I’m so proud. Particularly in bars, it was great to see us have such a good night in that event. We earned our best score of the season and while it’s hard to start off with two losses to the season, I know we will be on the upswing from this meet. Our schedule isn’t easy but we prove we can do it.”

Tonight, they hope to pick up another home win when they compete against Arlington at the Metrowest YMCA in Saugus at 7:00 p.m.