WESTHAMPTON — Hampshire Regional freshman gymnast Catrina Touchette didn’t compete in the all-around but still shined in three events on the Red Raider’s senior night, which honored the team’s only senior, captain Jordan Wytrych.
Hampshire placed third overall in its final regular season gymnastics meet Wednesday, falling to two strong programs in Westfield High School (135.55) and Minnechaug Regional (133.825), totaling 125.755 points on the night.
“I feel like the whole team was a lot more excited tonight,” said Touchette. “Because Jordan is our only senior it was definitely a big deal.”
Touchette was the only Hampshire gymnast to place in the top three in any event, tying for third on vault with a score of 8.20.
“I have an injury, so I skipped floor tonight,” said Touchette. “It’s my strongest event, but I feel like I still did well in the other three.”
After three all-around first place finishes, Touchette has drawn attention not only to herself, but to the many other young gymnasts in the program.
“It’s really an honor just to be able to compete for the team and with all these other girls,” said Touchette. “They’re all amazing and so talented … it’s just cool to be able to compete against older people.”
Touchette was eligible to compete for the Red Raiders during seventh and eighth grade but was so busy with her club team she felt she didn’t have time for high school gymnastics.
“I competed for a different club for a while, Roots Gymnastics in Westfield. Then I switched to a separate program that gave me more time for this and other stuff.”
Touchette can already feel how different the high school gymnastics scene is from that of club, something she’s familiar with.
“It took a while to get used to the equipment, and how different the meets were,” said Touchette. “All the teams celebrate together, there’s not as much pressure and it’s more like a team sport than an individual one.”
Coaches Lisa Anthony and Stacy Ashley had high praise for their young gymnasts, and identify Catrina as a leader who is still developing.
“She has a strong work ethic,” Ashley said. “She’s very focused and very determined … she works hard.”
Wytrych did very well in her floor routine at the end of the night, posting a score of 8.30, the highest of any Hampshire gymnast. She also scored well on vault at 8.15 points, second to Touchette, and just above Katelyn Meunier at 8.125.
“Jordan as a senior a captain, is a very consistent performer,” Anthony said, “and Catrina is just such an all-around gymnast; she adds a lot to the team. She’s already a leader.”
Touchette, in addition to her 8.20 on vault, recorded Hampshire’s top scores on the uneven bars at 8.05, and 8.25 on the balance beam.
After the upcoming Western Mass Gymnastics Championship, Hampshire will continue to build its program on an incredibly young team. With Wytrych gone next season, it will be Hampshire’s group of rising sophomores including, Touchette, Meunier, Samantha Payson, Mason Willard, Maura Joseph, Karissa Kowaski, Katie Latka, and Abby Casterline that look to take the reins for the next three years.
“There are four or five leaders coming up in that ninth grade group,” said Anthony. “I’m looking forward to watching them develop.”