Gymnastics team finishes season 7-1; places 9th at North Sectional tournament

Published in the March 8, 2017 edition

By STEPHEN MARTELLUCCI

HUDSON — The Lynnfield–Masconomet high co-op gymnastics team headed into the North Sectionals on Feb. 25 as the sixth seed out of 12 schools with a seeding score of 137.825.

The Chieftains finished their season placing ninth overall with a total of 134.100. Andover won the North Sectional championship title with a score of 142.475.

The Chieftains finished in eighth place in three out of four events, the vault (33.950), bars (31.900) and beam (34.225). They placed ninth on the floor exercise with a score of 34.025.

“The girls did a great job as there were a lot of fierce competitors,” explained Chieftains’ head coach Chelsea O’Hara.

Only the top three schools from the North Sectionals – Andover (142.475), Central Catholic (141.925) and Newton South (138.825), advanced to the state championship meet that took place on March 4. Those teams faced the top four teams from the South Sectional meet: Bridgewater-Raynham/West Bridgewater (142.925), Mansfield (144.525), Medfield/Ashland/Dover-Sherborn “MADS” (143.450) and Medway/Holliston/Millis (140.575).

Finish regular season 7-1

In the regular season, the Chieftains went 7-1 overall with their lone defeat coming against the undefeated Beverly Panthers. This put them second overall in the NEC–CAL conference, behind the Panthers.

The Chieftains will lose two seniors, Caroline Sordell and Caitlin Clarizia, who were both co-captains. Clarizia is from Lynnfield. She finished 33rd overall out of 110 competitors at sectionals. Competing in three out of four events, she had a combined score of 25.150. She scored 8.80 on vault, 8.70 on floor exercise and 7.650 on bars.

“We hope to have even more talent and skill to come next year,” said O’Hara, who just completed her third year at the helm.

Freshman Anna Schmidt is the other team member from Lynnfield. Competing in two events at sectionals, she scored a combined 16.550 to place 71st overall. She scored an 8.400 on bars and 8.150 on vault. Schmidt is expected to be back next winter.