On Jan. 11, Issaquah’s gymnastics team, “Skyssaquah,” (Skyline and Issaquah) went up against Inglemoor/Bothell, Woodinville, Interlake, and Mercer Island in a competition over four categories: floor, vault, bars, and beam. On floor, Issaquah had one finalist in tenth place: freshman Caprice Oliva. Freshman Anna Korst placed sixth in the vault category and on beam, as well as seventh on bars, along with freshman Ally Canavera, who placed tenth. The Eagles placed second overall and had two members in the final rankings: Korst in seventh, and Oliva in tenth.
Thursday night was a momentous meet for the class of 2024! Though the team only possesses one senior, Jorie Dougherty, her teammates showered her with support and friendship as she concluded some of the final routines of her high school career. She received balloons, flowers, and a basket filled with personal cards and trinkets to commemorate her three years on the team.
The Eagles began on vault, with sophomore Peyton High paving the way for others to follow, allowing them to enter the competition mindset. High had a confident run up to the table—the springboard placed before the vault—and held herself steady as she flew over the platform, into a steady landing. She received a score of 7.2/10. Canavera followed with a hesitant run towards the vault, finishing with a balanced recovery and a stable landing. She overtook High’s score, with a 7.85/10. Oliva concluded this category with an 8.1/10. Her powerful sprint allowed her to gain the momentum needed to fly over the vault, executing a near-perfect landing.
On bars, sophomore Mollie Hostetter used her upper body strength to swing herself upwards and demonstrated the role of perseverance in gymnastics. Though Hostetter struggled to gain momentum at times, she finished her routine and received a 4.95/10.
Korst was truly in her element on bars, and to say that her routine was remarkable would be an understatement. She gracefully pulled herself up and around the bar, making the routine itself look light and simple. Korst vocalized that “confidence is such a key aspect to gymnastics. Without it, you can’t focus, and you can never learn from your mistakes.” Though she lost her footing as she landed, she recovered with dignity, and received a high score of 7.35/10.
The beam is an embodiment of gymnast’s nightmares. Its elevated surface and narrow platform is bound to inflict anxiety into people’s veins. Freshman Marilyn Clifford approached the beam with confidence and beat the mental pressure that the beam presses upon an athlete. She remained steady while she completed high kicks that threatened her balance and tricky 360s. Mid-routine, Clifford lost her footing and fell off the beam. The gymnast simply smiled, took a deep breath, and climbed back on. Clifford explained that “[the team] is a very tight knit group. I think that we’ve really learned how to support one another when we feel like we can’t keep going, and we know how to persuade each other to finish out our routine.” She ended with a 6/10 score.
Korst looked entirely solemn and centered during her routine. She kept calm, cool, and collected as she completed a mixture of high-kicks and cartwheels upon the beam. Korst was unreservedly blissful and achieved near-perfect landings, with a final score of 8.8/10.
The meet closed with musical floor routines that pulled the audience’s attention back to the Eagles. High’s dynamic performance was something to behold, as she remained perfectly on the beat of the music. Her limbs would pop at the various drops in bass, and her choreographed moves flawlessly fit the fast paced, menacing demeanor of the song. With only a few stumbles on her back handsprings and a couple uneven landings, High received the score of 6.3/10. Assistant Coach Tamara Diles shared that “the most important thing that I can offer these girls is a good attitude. It is so important that they see this sport as something fun, and I think that the floor section plays a really big part in that.” Dougherty put all her effort into her senior night floor routine and had consistent front handsprings that stood out to the crowd. Her sunny disposition matched that of her song and ended with a score of 7.6/10.
Good luck at your next meet, Eagles!
