By Paul Frommelt
Click the
“Photos” and “Videos” links above to view pictures and highlights from
a preseason practice of the Stonewall Jackson gymnastics team team.
Q&A With Stonewall Jackson Head Coach Amy Romberger
How have practices been going? What stage are you guys in right now?
We are trying to get ready for the meet on Wednesday [Dec. 3]. We are practicing a lot of routines. A lot of the girls that are new are still getting routines or putting on the finishing touches. It is difficult at times. I look to the older girls to help me out.
The older girls [Hammel and Ramseyer] look like secondary coaches out there. How beneficial has that been to have two senior leaders on the team?
It’s been great. I couldn’t of asked for two better girls to help me out.
With two girls returning — how big was the team last year?
We had five last year. I also coach cheerleading so I recruit a lot of my cheerleaders to come and give it a try. If they don’t like it, no hurt feelings. Last year, I had four other cheerleaders that were on the team. They just decided to not return.
A nice group of freshmen though.
I think that Megan Poole will do really well. She is a former club gymnast. She is very determined. Leigh did a little bit of club gymnastics, so she is still kinda working back into the swing of things. All three freshmen have previous experience.
Talk a little about Meghan and what she brings to the team.
Meghan has incredible talent. She is a leader of the team. Her goal is going to Nationals this year, so she is trying a lot of new skills. You probably won’t see those until later on in the season. She doesn’t like to pull her tricks out too early. I think that she will do very well. She has a shot of going back to states. I think that she will do very well.
What the goal this year — a reasonable goal. Are there goals?
We have talked about trying to advance to regionals. The girls know that the other schools have more depth in their teams. That is a goal for us. Each meet, we are going to set our standard at this meet, maybe score above 100 points. Each meet, we’ll increase our number. That is our outlook.
Any other thoughts.
I have a great group of girls. It’s a young team that hopefully will develop in time. We’ll see how it goes.
News and Notes Around Prince William
To find the top team in the state for the last two years, Cedar Run District gymnastics teams have to look no further than district rival Osbourn Park. The Yellow Jackets have won the last two Virginia AAA titles, including their close 150.70 to 149.75 edging of Kellam in February. What made the Yellow Jackets’ win that much more impressive is the fact that OP brought only six girls to the state meet, compared to as many as 18 for other squads. Even more impressive was the fact that there was only one senior on that team last year — Kayla Deitz.
This year, with the bulk of their squad returning, the Yellow Jackets look to again challenge for the top spot in the state. Junior Megan McDonald — 5th in all-around at the state meet last year and the Cedar Run and Northwest champ — returns. McDonald, Teets and Deitz swept the top three spots in the Cedar Run meet last season. Also returning in for the Yellow Jackets are Sara Mogavero (Soph.), Sam Garzione (Sr.) and Briana Knox (Jr.).
2007-2008 Prince William Key Losses:
Kayla Deitz, Osbourn Park
2008-2009 Prince William Key Returners:
Mandy Brown, Jr., Battlefield; Katie Surface, Jr. Battlefield; Jasmine Zellars, Soph., Battlefield; Tori Zumbrum, Sr., Battlefield; Meghan Hammel, Sr., Stonewall Jackson; Tanya Ramseyer, Sr., Stonewall Jackson; Megan McDonald, Jr., Osbourn Park; Jacquie Teets, Sr., Osbourn Park; Sara Mogavero, Soph., Osbourn Park; Briana Knox, Jr., Osbourn Park.
2007-2008 Cedar Run District Gymnastics Results
Team — 1. Osbourn Park, 148.975; 2. Loudoun Valley, 138.325; 3. Battlefield, 135.475; 4. Stonewall Jackson, 121.075. Overall — 1. Megan McDonald, Osbourn Park, 37.750; 2. Jacquie Teets, Osbourn Park, 37.025; 3. Kayla Deitz, Osbourn Park, 36.700; 4. Meghan Hammell, Stonewall Jackson, 36.550; 5. Sara Mogavero, Osbourn Park, 36.400; 6. Briana Knox, Osbourn Park, 36.125; 7. Mandy Brown, Battlefield, 35.925; 8. Maura Cotter, Loudoun Valley, 35.650; 9. Samantha Garzione, Osbourn Park, 33.775; 10. Becca Walls, Battlefield, 33.525. Top 3 Uneven Bars — 1. Megan McDonald, Osbourn Park, 9.675; 2. Kayla Deitz, Osbourn Park, 9.250; 3. Jacquie Teets, Osbourn Park, 9.175. Top 3 Balance Beam — 1. Jacquie Teets, Osbourn Park, 9.525; 2. Shae Spotts, Loudoun Valley, 9.450; 3. Megan McDonald, Osbourn Park, 9.375. Top 3 Floor Exercise — 1. Maura Cotter, Loudoun Valley, 9.550; 2. Kayla Dietz, Osbourn Park, 9.550; 3. Megan Hammel, Stonewall Jackson, 9.525. Top 3 Vault — 1. Sara Mogavero, Osbourn Park, 9.5; 2. Megan McDonald, Osbourn Park, 9.45. 3. Briana Knox, Osbourn Park, 9.45.
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