FAIRFIELD – Going into the FCIAC Gymnastics Championship meet, St. Joseph, Trumbull, Ludlowe and Warde were all within four-tenths of a point in their season averages.
“We all knew it was going to be a tight meet and any of the teams could have won this year,” Ludlowe coach Kim Longobucco said after her squad captured its second consecutive championship with a score of 138.90.
Warde, led by championship meet Outstanding Gymnast Emma Johnson, placed second at 138.05. Trumbull 137.5 was third, St. Joseph 135.1 fourth, Wilton 134.55 fifth and Staples 131.05 sixth.
Ludlowe’s Ava Mancini was second all-around at 36.65. She finished second on vault (9.3) and balance beam (9.25) and took sixth on bars and floor.
Johnson won all-around honors with a score of 36.9. A sophomore, she was first in balance beam (9.4) and floor (9.2) and took second in bars (9.15) and tied for fourth in vault (9.15).
Trumbull (137.50) finished third, as freshman Ella Forna was first on bars (9.5). St. Joseph (135.10) was fourth behind Lindsay Capobianco, who placed third all-around (35.55). Mia Guster from Staples was first in vault with a score of 9.45.
“We had a good core group of girls,” said Longobucco, who also coaches Warde. “Tara Chomienne, Ava Mancini and Carly Mayhew are senior captains and led the team through a challenging season. Ava and Tara (along with Warde senior Alexa Amster) qualified for the Senior National Team and will compete for the final time in May (Florida).”
While the championships were decided over two days, getting the season underway took a lot more time.
“Scheduling and the running of meets was challenging. That was a major hurdle,” Longobucco said. “To figure out who could come in person, what teams would be virtual, it took a lot of juggling to make this season happen on the logistical side.”
Longobucco explained how the girls prepared.
“It was about the girls doing their conditioning and making up for lost time since last March,” she said. “Many of the kids are year-around gymnasts and for the first time in their lives they weren’t able to compete. This is the first time they were consistently training four to five days a week at private clubs, but there were no club meets. High school is all they had for a season.”
Paring the field from 12 to 6 wasn’t easy.
“It was a hard decision,” Longobucco said. “We didn’t want to leave people out but being as we could only have two teams competing at a time, we couldn’t compete for that long a time. We agreed as coaches to run three meets. One on Friday night, two on Saturday with the same two judges at the same facility using the same equipment.”
Longobucco said: “Our FCIAC coaches and girls really worked together well through reschedules and quarantines to make it the best experience possible for these girls and I’m proud of our league for being able to pull this off.”
william.bloxsom@hearstmediact.com
Twitter: @blox354
FCIAC CHAMPIONSHIPS
Team Scores-
1. Ludlowe – 138.90
2. Warde – 138.05
3. Trumbull – 137.50
4. St. Joseph – 135.10
5. Wilton – 134.55
6. Staples – 131.05
Vault –
1 – Mia Guster – Staples – 9.35
2 – Ava Mancini – Ludlowe – 9.3
3 – Kenna Stevenson – Trumbull – 9.2
4T – Emma Johnson – Warde – 9.15
4T – Olivia Mannino – Wilton – 9.15
5 – Abigail Cerny – Ludlowe – 8.8
6T – Lindsay Capobianco – SJ – 8.7
6T – Caitlin Vozzella – SJ – 8.7
6T – Kiera Dawson – Warde – 8.7
Bars –
1. Ellie Forma – Trumbull – 9.5
2. Emma Johnson – Warde – 9.15
3. Caitlin Vozzella – SJ – 9.0
4. Caroline Garrett – Warde – 8.95
5. Tara Chomienne – Ludlowe – 8.9
6. Ava Mancini – Ludlowe – 8.85
Beam –
1. Emma Johnson – Warde – 9.4
2. Ava Mancini – Ludlowe – 9.25
3. Lindsay Capobianco – SJ – 9.2
4. Ava Golding – Ludlowe – 9.0
5. 5T- Kenna Stevenson – Trumbull – 8.95
6. 5T- Kaylie Bernhaus – Wilton – 8.95
7. 6. Olivia Mannino – Wilton – 8.9
Floor –
1. Emma Johnson – Warde – 9.2
2. Mia Guster – Staples – 9.15
3. Justine Biersack – Wilton – 9.1
4. Tara Chomienne – Ludlowe – 9.05
5. Lindsay Capobianco – SJ – 9.0
6. Ava Mancini – Ludlowe – 8.95
All Around –
1. Emma Johnson – Warde – 36.9
2. Ava Mancini – Ludlowe – 36.35
3. Lindsay Capobianco – SJ – 35.55
4. Olivia Mannino – Wilton – 35.4
5. Caitlin Vozzella – SJ – 35.1
6. Kenna Stevenson – Trumbull – 34.85
