Westfields hard work and determination had all culminated to this moment. Senior and co-captain Katie McDermott knew that in order to capture a spot on the podium, she would need an exceptional routine. The crowd turned their eyes to watch the routine that would define the day. Despite the pressure, McDermott rose to the occasion. The score was announced; an exceptional 8.35, putting the Blue Devils just above major rival Cranford. The performance from McDermott on the bars coupled with scores over 8.2 from co-captain Chloe Katz and Maddie Lee, allowed the Blue Devils to capture third in a tough group of schools at the Cranford Invitational.
There were many highs and lows that led to the third place finish. Due to the nature of the meet, the girls had to kick off the meet on a balance beam rather than the usual vault. In an event where focus is key, a gym filled with nine different teams all on different events is not ideal. “Beam is always challenging, and being in that atmosphere was a great way to prepare us for counties,” said senior co-captain Nora Collins. “We’re definitely still getting adjusted to it.”
After a slow start on beam, the girls came out ready to compete on the floor. Collins had not only the highest score for the Blue Devils with a 9.4, but also secured the 3rd highest floor score of the day. Katz followed suit, and was awarded a 9.15 and the 6th highest score of the day.
Senior Morgan Samet also had an excellent performance with an 8.8. “This was an exciting meet, and I just wanted to show up and do my best on the floor,” said Samet. “It’s one of my favorite events, and I just love to perform it and cheer on the rest of my team.”
The Blue Devils moved over to the highly anticipated vault, where they were truly able to shine and show their truest potential. Lee and McDermott stepped up once again with scores of 9.175 and 9.05, which would set the team up perfectly to redeem themselves on bars.
With all-around competitors, McDermott, Katz and fantastic efforts from the whole squad, the girls finished the meet with a combined point total of 104.55. This score was just enough for a third place finish amongst many competitive teams.
Although the girls had a successful meet, they have their eyes set on the future. Exactly a week away lies Union County Conferences, where the girls will need stunning performances from all gymnasts to score high. Collins said, “We learned a lot from this meet, but there’s a lot of improvements we can make to have a good foundation for counties.” This event will be held on Oct. 17 at Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.
