Depth played a big role in Highlanders’ victory
Their team score was lower than a week before when they won a district title, but the mark was still high enough for the McLean Highlanders to add this season’s 6D North Region girls gymnastics championship to the high-school squad’s litany of accomplishments.
McLean won with a 141.8 score, nipping the host and runner-up Washington-Liberty Generals with 141.625. The Concorde District champion Oakton Cougars were third (140.175) and the Madison Warhawks fifth (138.350).
The Highlanders were led by Leah Sexton. She finished seventh in the all-around (35.675), with bests of fifth on the floor exercise (9.225) and sixth in the vault (9.375).
Depth was again a key for McLean, like at the district competition. Multiple McLean gymnasts placed in the four region events.
“Our team score was lower than last week’s, but we pulled through and still won and that is exciting for us,” McLean coach Courtney Molle said. “We have a strong lineup and we went just one event at a time. Our last event was the floor exercise, and we finished strong there.”
McLean Emery Conroy tied for first on the floor with a 9.525 mark.
Other gymnasts who placed for McLean were Kristen Harrje, Skylar Thomas, Olivia Nguyen, Isabelle Padget, Adeline Gevinson and Anna Netp.
By winning the region, McLean advances to the Virginia High School League’s Class 6 state meet.
Leading Oakton at the region championships was a fifth in the all-around by Tessa Gay (35.725) and an 11th by Delaney Nelson (35.45).
Gay’s highest finish was sixth on the uneven bars (8.65) and seventh on the balance beam (9.0), and Nelson’s was a fourth on the bars (90.125). Oakton’s Megan Shipley tied for seventh on the floor (9.125) and Lindsay Liang tied for ninth on the vault (9.2).
For Madison, Reagan George was sixth in the all-round (35.7), with bests of fifth on the beam (9.1) and seventh on the vault (9.35). Madison’s Isa Readyhough was eighth in the all-around (35.65). She was fifth on the bars (8.7) and tied for seventh on the floor (9.125).
Marshall High’s Molly Perkins was fourth on the beam (9.275).
