Indians win own gymnastics invitational

While the clouds outside were dropping snow and rain, inside Tecumseh High School’s gymnasium the Indians’ varsity gymnastics team was dropping its best scores of the season to place first overall at its invitational. It had been four years since the Indians hosted the competition.The Indians recorded their highest score of the season, winning the event with a total of 125.725. “I was definitely surprised by our score of 125,” said Tecumseh coach Jennie Poston. “That was a big goal for us this year.”Vassar High School placed second (121.9), followed by Cass City (117.325), East Kentwood (114.975), Jackson (106.075) and Adrian (81.4). “We lost Jackson Northwest and Coldwater because of the weather,” said Poston. “But we still had a good turnout considering the snow storm.”Despite bad weather the meet started and finished close to the times expected.“We set up and the judges were great,” said Poston. “Everybody kept moving along. I think it went really well. Everybody seemed to have a really good time and said they’d be back next year.”Tecumseh had five girls out of 10 place in the event. Kelsey Bogrow led Tecumseh with a first place finish in the All-Around with a score of 32.6. She placed first on bars (8.4), second on floor (8.925), eighth on vault (8.125) and ninth on beam (7.15).Bailie Posten placed third for Tecumseh in the All-Around with 31.525. She finished third on bars (6.975) and floor (8.9), and fifth on beam (7.625).The two have been consistent leaders for the Indians.“They’re very good, healthy competition for one another because they are constantly pushing each other up,” said Poston. “It’s been great. Those two stay pretty neck-and-neck and then Brianna Price and Hannah Swirple do the same thing at the freshmen level. We’ve got a lot of depth to the team this year.”Tecumseh’s Kassidy Connors finished sixth in the All-Around (30.575), third on beam (7.95), ninth on bars (6.6) and 10th on floor (8.025).Hannah Swirple was ninth in the All-Around (29.85) for the Indians. She was seventh on floor (8.2), eighth on bars (6.8), and ninth on vault (8.1).Brianna Price recorded 10th place for Tecumseh in the All-Around, placing fourth on beam (7.85) and eighth on floor (8.1).On Thursday, Jan. 30, Tecumseh traveled to Coldwater for a league dual meet and came away with a win. Tecumseh recorded a season-high score of 123.5 to Coldwater’s 118.725.The Indians placed first in all of the events with Bogrow taking first on vault (8.4), bars (8.3) and the All-Around (32.55). Bogrow tied for second place on beam (7.425) and floor (8.425). Posten won both beam (8.65) and floor (8.575), and was second on vault (8.0) and the All-Around (32.175). Price tied with Bogrow on beam (7.425) and helped the Indians sweep the floor event with a third place finish (8.25). Swirple was fourth on floor (7.9).