WESTHAMPTON – Tuesday’s gymnastics meet came down to the tiniest of mistakes for Hampshire Regional.
Using the wrong music in Madelynn Hollister’s floor routine, and wobbles and falls where the Raiders normally would stick elements cost Hampshire in a three-team meet between Westfield and Agawam. Westfield eked out a win by just seven-tenths of a point, scoring 136.2 points ahead of Hampshire’s 135.5. Agawam took third with 117.7 points.
Westfield’s Annica Van Oostveen also won the all-around by two-tenths of a point over Hollister; Van Oostveen scored 34.85 to Hollister’s 34.65. Hampshire’s Tyler Hetu finished just behind his teammate in third place with a score of 34.35.
“Overall, they did good. They just weren’t as consistent as they normally are,” Hampshire head coach Lisa Anthony said. “But we haven’t had a practice since (Thursday). We had a meet on Friday, so we went Saturday, Sunday, Monday with no practice, which kind of killed us, too.”
Tuesday’s second-place finish was a bit deceptive – there were mistakes that Hampshire could have cleaned up, sure, but the 135.5 point total was also the best score the Raiders have received this season. The team also won three individual events – Hollister took first in both bars (8.9) and floor (8.9) while newcomer to the team Julia Sicard placed first in a tight beam competition, posting 8.65 points — just half a tenth ahead of second place Mia Tavares from Westfield (8.6). Van Oostven took first in vault with a score of 9.15.
“I was happy with my bar routine,” Hollister said on her performance. “It was really smooth.”
Like most meets involving Hampshire, the teams were competitive but supportive all night long, equally cheering on their own teammates as well as their opponents. The gymnastics community is small and tight-knit, and many of the gymnasts are friends outside of their competitions.
“It’s so fun,” Hollister said on competing against Westfield and Agawam. “Everyone supports everyone. They’re all cheering so loud.”
Though Hollister and Hetu are Hampshire’s two top scorers, the Raiders’ depth this year was on full display at Tuesday’s meet. Newcomers like Sicard, who ran away with the beam competition, Ryen Delisle, Angelena Osiecki and Catalina Ocampo have helped give the team depth that has made them a perennial contender for a western Mass. title over the last few years. Sicard also shined on the bars, introducing a new skill called an overshoot, Ocampo wowed with her floor performance and both Delisle and Osiecki were impressive in every event they competed in.
“They bring so much energy first of all, and Catalina Ocampo…her floor team is gorgeous. They all just bring so much good energy,” Hollister said. “A lot of them came from Roots Gymnastics, so they have good backgrounds. They’re all very helpful to our team score.”
The Raiders will have one day of practice before they hit the road for another meet, traveling to Minnechaug to compete in another three meet against Westfield and Minnechaug on Thursday.
Hannah Bevis can be reached at hbevis@gazettenet.com. Follow her on Twitter @Hannah_Bevis1.