“Obviously winning district is on our bucket list every year, but it doesn’t always work out,” Centerville coach Renee Horcher said. “It was so gratifying because I know how hard these girls work.”
It will be back-to-back state appearances for the Elks and sixth state trip overall since Horcher took the helm in 2012.
Centerville has been buoyed with the addition of several club gymnasts to the roster. Senior Olivia Tarpey, junior Kaila Weller and sophomores Ann Lehmann and Paige Rose all joined the Centerville squad for the first time this season after competing at Kids are Tops Sports Center.
“Getting these four girls was huge for our team,” Horcher said. “It gave us so much depth.”
Elks team captain Miriam Coppock agrees.
“Those girls have added so much to our team,” Coppock said. “They are so talented.”
That talent also translated into several individual state berths with a top-six district finish. Tarpey qualified as an individual in vault, bars, floor and all-around while Weller qualified on floor and all-around. Coppock — much to her surprise — qualified in beam. It was the senior’s first time qualifying to state in an individual event.
“Honestly it feels amazing, I did not expect it at all,” Coppock said. “Beam is my best but least favorite event because it’s so nerve-wracking.”
Even the slightest error can result in a serious wobble or, worse yet, a fall off the beam.
“If anyone deserves to make it to state it’s Miriam,” Horcher said. “She works so hard and was just ecstatic.”
But the Elks have more than talent this season.
“We have become way closer outside of the gym and that changed the dynamic inside the gym,” Coppock said.
Joining the high school ranks has added a new level of camaraderie to the mix for club gymnasts who were used to competing primarily as individuals.
“This is definitely the closest team I have ever been a part of,” Coppock said.
Gymnastics State Tournament
When: March 3-4
Where: Hilliard Bradley High School
Tickets: Purchase online at www.ohsaa.org/tickets
Area state qualifiers
(District finish in parentheses)
Vault: (2) Rebecca Morse, Beavercreek; (3) Olivia Tarpey, Centerville; (5) Madelyn Witzerman, Miamisburg; (6) Keelie Miller, Miami East
Bars: (2) Madelyn Witzerman, Miamisburg; (4) Ana Balint, Beavercreek; (6) Olivia Tarpey, Centerville
Beam: (6) Miriam Coppock, Centerville
Floor: (2) Olivia Tarpey, Centerville; (4) Rebecca Morse, Beavercreek; (5) Kaila Weller, Centerville
All-around: (3) Olivia Tarpey, Centerville; (4) Madelyn Witzerman, Miamisburg; (5) Kaila Weller, Centerville; (6) Rebecca Morse, Beavercreek
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