FeedsSmooth operation
17 teams compete at Canton invite
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Salem gymnast Autumn Collins vaults at the Canton Invitational at Plymouth High School on Saturday. She helped the Lady Rocks to an eighth-place finish.What do you get when gather about 148 leotards in one cavernous gymnasium?
That’s easy—about five and half hours of some of the best gymnastics in the state of Michigan.
Canton hosted its annual Canton Invitational at Plymouth High School on Saturday. The tournament is considered one of the biggest and best in the state with 11 of the top 12 teams in the state attending the 17-team meet.
As always, it went off with out a hitch and nearly on time—one minute over its scheduled time.
That was all thanks to Canton gymnastics coach and meet director John Cunningham. The tournament was a week later than planned because of school cancellation on Feb. 1—the day prior to the scheduled invitational. He scrambled at the last minute and rescheduled all 17 teams for Saturday.
“Everything went smooth,” he said. “When you have good teams it always goes smooth because everyone is ready to go.”
The only thing that put a crimp in his day was the absence of his lone senior—and best gymnast—Jesse Murray, who was is Spain for a senior class trip.
“If school wasn’t cancelled last week she would have been able to compete when it was scheduled (for Feb. 2),” he said. “Adding her could have added as many as four points to our score.”
Even so, the team still faired well. Cunningham wanted a top-10 finish and he got it. The Lady Chief tumblers finished in ninth with a team score of 137.725.
Grand Ledge—the No.1-ranked team in the state—won the meet with a 149.250. Farmington followed with a close 148.750 and Livonia’s Blue team rounded out the top three with a 144.900.
In Division 1 competition, freshman Robyn Piwowar had a standout day for Canton. She placed 11th in the all around standings with a total score of 36.4. She tied for third place on the floor exercise with Grand Ledge’s Alexis Byington with a 9.55. She scored a 9.150 on the balance beam; a 9.050 on vault; and an 8.650 on the uneven bars.
Canton’s other super freshman, Cathy Huang, placed 16th in the all around with a 35.1—her highest finish so far. She had a 9.150 on the vault and a 9.050 on the beam. She scored an 8.55 on floor and an 8.350 on the bars.
Mallory Hudak performed well in Division 2 for Canton. She finished tied in 10th place of the all around standings with a 34.075. She scored a 9.075 on floor—good for ninth place. She had 8.6s on both vault and beam.
“I’m absolutely pleased with the girls performance,” Cunningham said. “All in all it was a good meet for us.”
Northville
The Northville gymnastics team placed fifth—up from 13th last year—at the meet with a 142.075.
Makenna Pohl was 13th in Division 1 all around standings with a 36.050. She scored a 9.450 on floor—eighth place; a 9.250 on bars for third place; 9.150 on vault, tying for 10th with Canton’s Huang; and an 8.2 on beam.
Cassidy Winter scored a 9.05 on vault; an 8.65 on bars; and a 9.15 on floor.
In Division 2, the team’s only freshman, Allison Kemp, finished in sixth with a 35.775. She was third on bars with an 8.825 and fifth on vault with a 9.22. She also scored an 8.95 on floor and an 8.8 on beam.
“She had a phenomenal meet,” said Northville Coach Erin McWatt. “She is very strong and very powerful and very clean. We just have to work with her on harnessing it. She’s had a problem with inconsistency—she would do really good on one event and than not as good on her next one. On Saturday she seemed to put it all together and had a great meet.”
Amy Reynolds scored a 9.325 for third place on beam and an 8.3 for tenth place on bars for Northville. Julie Davison scored an 8.70 on the beam.
The Lady Mustangs are geared up for regional competition with hopes of going to the state meet.
“We’re ready for the postseason,” McWatt said. “I don’t have any huge expectations, but I think we will do really well.”
Salem
Salem finished just ahead of Canton with a 138.650 for eighth place.
Katie Koetting had a handle on things in Divison 1, finishing in a seventh-place tie with Livonia Blue’s Meghan Powers in the all around with a 36.7.
Koettings’ best score was on floor where she recorded a 9.5 for fifth place. She scored a 9.425 on the beam for eighth and tied for 10th with Canton’s Huang and Northville’s Pohl with a 9.15. She had an 8.625 on the uneven bars.
Autumn Collins recorded an 8.825 on beam and an 8.7 on floor.
Salem had two gymnasts place in the Division 2 all around.
Katerina Kariotis tied with Canton’s Hudak for 10th place with a 34.075.
Kariotis’ best score was on beam with an 8.8 where she tied Northville’s Kemp. She scored an 8.7 on vault; and 8.575 on floor; and an 8 on bars.
Teammate Brittany Young followed in 12th place in the all around numbers with a 34.050. Her highest score was a 9.175 on beam for fifth place. She scored 8.25s on both vault and bars.
Plymouth
Plymouth finished 16th overall with a 116.05.
Plymouth’s most decorated gymnast Jordan Brodehl—the lone senior, team captain and four-year letterer—finished her last Canton Invite with a total score of 33.350 for 16th in the all around.
She scored an 8.75 on floor; an 8.4 on vault; an 8.15 on beam; and an 8.05 on bars in Division 2 competition.
Brodehl holds all of the school records at Plymouth and made it to the state meet as a freshman, according to Plymouth Coach Diane Hodur.
Hodur worked with Brodehl at Michigan Academy Gymnastics before they both ended up at Plymouth.
“It’s been a joy to watch her grow up,” Hodur said. “I’m really going to miss her next year.”
Although Plymouth didn’t qualify as a team for regional competition yet (they need to score a 119) Brodehl has as an individual and will have a chance to move on to the state competition again.
“I have high expectations for her,” Hodur said. “I have all the confidence in her that she will be at the state meet. She went as a freshman and it would be a great way for her to end her career by going as a senior.”
The regional competition, hosted by Canton at Plymouth High School, is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 1. The state meet is the following weekend at Plymouth High School.
