By E. Shawn Aylsworth
Managing Editor
LAWRENCE – Third-ranked Columbus North registered 12 of 30 top-six finishes Feb. 20 to defend its title at the seven-team Conference Indiana Tournament held at Lawrence Central.
The Bull Dogs’ team score of 110.075 was 2.45 points better than the runner-up No. 8 host Bears (107.625), with seventh-ranked Franklin Central (107.15) taking third. Bloomington South (104.325) finished fourth, well ahead of arch-rival Bloomington North (89.85), Perry Meridian (87.125), and Southport (61.625).
Lawrence Central senior Camille Hayes was the star of the day, capturing conference crowns in the balance beam (9.7) and the floor exercise (9.6) on her way to the all-around title with 38.2 points. Senior teammate Jessie Leko took the day’s other two events in winning the vault (9.7) and the bars (9.625).
“I thought the girls had good performances,” said LC coach Barbi Kern. “We are getting ready for the last four weeks of the season, and the girls know that great performances win! I thought that all of the girls gave it their all, and it showed with a second-place finish.
“We’ve been telling Kylie Culley all season long that we really need her all-around score to be in the 32s, and she got it this weekend (with a 32.05). She added a few new skills to floor and vault, and it all counted!”
But coach Sandy Freshour’s Columbus North squad got second-place finishes from Cassie Funcheon in the vault (9.5) and the bars (9.525) – Funcheon was also third in the floor with a 9.1 and placed fourth in the all-around at 36.875 – while teammate Tessa Lane tied for second in the vault (9.5) while placing third in the beam (9.3), the floor (9.1), and the all-around (37.125).
The real key to the Columbus victory was consistency on all apparatus. The Bull Dogs’ highest score came on the vault at 29.000, and their lowest was on bars at 26.950 – that is incredibly consistent at the high school level.
Lawrence Central followed the Bull Dogs’ with nine top-six finishers, while Franklin Central landed eight paced by Molly Moran’s second-place 9.45 in the beam.
Hoosier Authority caught some of the Saturday action, so stay tuned for video highlights!
Team scores
1. #3 Columbus North 110.075
2. #8 Lawrence Central 107.625
3. #7 Franklin Central 107.15
4. Bloomington South 104.325
5. Bloomington North 89.85
6. Perry Meridian 87.125
7. Southport 61.625
Here are your top six finishers in each event (thank you, Barbi Kern!):
Vault
1. Jessie Leko (LC) 9.7
2. Cassie Funcheon (CN) 9.5
2. Tessa Lane (CN) 9.5
4. Camille Hayes (LC) 9.45
5. Molly Moran (FC) 9.4
6. Emily Baker (FC) 9.375
Bars
1. Jessie Leko (LC) 9.625
2. Cassie Funcheon (CN) 9.525
3. Camille Hayes (LC) 9.45
4. Tessa Lane (CN) 9.225
5. Chrissy Day (CN) 9.2
6. Erin Riley (BS) 8.9
Beam
1. Camille Hayes (LC) 9.7
2. Molly Moran (FC) 9.45
3. Tessa Lane (CN) 9.3
4. Chrissy Day (CN) 9.125
4. Emily Baker (FC) 9.125
6. Cassie Funcheon (CN) 8.75
Floor
1. Camille Hayes (LC) 9.6
2. Jessie Leko (LC) 9.475
3. Cassie Funcheon (CN) 9.1
3. Tessa Lane (CN) 9.1
5. Emily Baker (FC) 9.025
6. Madison Sorely (FC) 8.9
All-Around
1. Camille Hayes (LC) 38.2
2. Jessie Leko (LC) 37.3
3. Tessa Lane (CN) 37.125
4. Cassie Funcheon (CN) 36.875
5. Emily Baker (FC) 36.175
6. Molly Moran (FC) 35.675
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