Melrose will see senior leadership this year
Published January 3, 2020
By JENNIFER GENTILE
MELROSE—The Melrose High girl’s gymnastics team is ready to vault into 2020 with a season-opener meet tonight at home against rival Wakefield at the Metro-North YMCA in Saugus at 7:15 p.m.
Melrose is coming off another winning season during which they qualified for a postseason North sectional appearance with their highest average point total to date. This year, they hope to match that success, and they return with several upperclassmen who can help them pick up where they left off in 2019.
That includes senior captains Katie Wright, Ciara Smith and Jane Harrington. All three have been with coach Denise Valdez since freshman year and show a wonderful knack for leadership. “All three are such wonderful girls and great athletes,” says Valdez. “They all play different sports so they are born competitors who are doing a great job supporting their teammates and helping our younger athletes.”
Both Wright and Smith have competed as All-Around athletes, and Harrington has been a consistent high scorer with a great work ethic, according to her coach. Seniors Nicole Nzui and Gabriel Prodgers also return to help lead the 17-strong squad, who roster a handful of promising freshmen, a few of whom have all-around potential.
THE MELROSE High gymnastic team opens up their season on January 3 at home against Wakefield. (file photo)
Veteran juniors include Caroline Dell Isola, Brooke Heidebrecht and Olivia Hitchman. Returning sophomores include Katherine Carney, Lucia Hannon, Taylor Pesce, Elana Simard and Sophia Weissman. Freshmen include Kathryn Barker, Grace Burke, Sofia Pitcher and Meghan Radzik.
Expect to see Wright and Smith continue to serve as top point earners (both are frequently earning in the 9.0s.) In terms of rotations, look for athletes like Taylor Pesce, Gabriel Prodgers, Katie Wright and Sofia Weissmann to be among the floor athletes. Valdez is excited about Weissmen’s potential in the vault. “She’s coming out the woodwork,” she says, “Even trying tsuks.” Look for faces like Elena Simard, Weissman and Prodgers on the beam. Valdez also points out that Grace Burke and Lucy Hannon have the potential for all around performance. However, she cautions that it is very early and there are a lot of moving parts. “We have a few tweaks to iron out need to get everyone 100% healthy.”
Indeed, fully staffed, they could be a formidable opponent. Melrose will compete in a very tough Middlesex League, who sent a few of their teams to North Sectionals last year. Two of those hardest teams will be Wakefield and Reading, the latter of which won the Middlesex League last year. Wakefield proved a tough out, with several elite gymnasts on the team.
So while Melrose plays two the best teams in the North out of the gate, expect this team—made up of multi-sport athletes—to get better each meet, as they transition into “gymnastic shape.”
Says the coach, “This team works so hard and competition will be tough. At the end of the day, I want them to enjoy their season, especially our seniors. Win or lose, I want them to love every minute of this sport.”
Season Schedule
(all home meets at Metro-North YMCA, Saugus)
01/03/20 7:15 PM vs Wakefield
01/07/20 8:00 PM @ Reading
01/10/20 7:15 PM vs Stoneham
01/17/20 7:15 PM vs Arlington
01/21/20 7:00 PM @ Burlington
01/28/20 6:30 PM @ Winchester
02/05/20 8:00 PM vs Woburn
02/10/20 5:00 PM @ League Meet, Burlington
