by Beau Wicker
WEST LAFAYETTE — Logansport’s gymnastics team did not get the results it was looking for here Friday night at the West Lafayette Harrison Regional as the Berries finished in sixth place with a score of 98.175.
The Berries were hoping to advance their top two gymnasts — junior Madison Baldini and freshman Morgan Kline — to the state finals in the all-around. But Baldini missed advancing by just one-tenth of a point while Kline wasn’t able to compete in her final event, vault, because of a quad injury.
But the good news was Baldini did advance by grabbing the sixth and final spot on the beam with a 9.150, making it the sixth year in a row the Berries have advanced at least one gymnast to the state finals. Baldini advanced in the all-around last season.
“We had a bittersweet ending,” Logan coach Kathy Farrer said. “It’s a little disappointing, but we knew going in it was going to be an uphill battle. I’m still very proud of how they did. I know it’s frustrating for them, it’s frustrating for me too, but we’ve had some injuries.”
Baldini placed eighth in the all-around with a 35.8, just one-tenth of a point from tying Lawrence Central’s Camille Hayes for the sixth and final spot in the state finals.
“I thought that I personally had a really good day,” Baldini said. “I thought I got ripped off a little bit on my scores. I only missed all-around by a tenth, so I’m pretty upset about that. But I’m happy that I’m going on, on the beam and I at least get to make an appearance again.”
Baldini thought her beam routine deserved a higher score in particular.
“Mostly beam —and bars a little bit, but we were first [up on bars], so it was a little tougher. But definitely beam,” she said. “I thought it was a good routine. I thought it should have scored higher, but for me it was a good routine and I’m satisfied.”
Baldini was also eighth on bars, 10th on floor and 14th on vault.
Kline placed 14th on both floor and bars. She’ll compete in the Level 8 club gymnastics state meet next weekend.
“We decided Morgan shouldn’t do vault [Friday night] because she’s really hurting, her quad muscle was really bothering her, and she has a [high school] state meet next weekend, a club state meet and we’re kind of trying to hold out for that,” Farrer said. “We’d like to see her advance out of state into [national] regionals.”
Said Kline, “My leg got to a certain point where I just couldn’t do it anymore and I knew I had to scratch vault. I’m looking forward to next weekend. I’ve got a pretty big meet next weekend, so I’m just going to try to get healed for that.”
Julia Peattie placed 18th on beam and 19th on floor.
“I thought Julia did pretty good,” Farrer said. “I thought it was one of her better floor routines and one of her better beam routines. I’m really proud of her and this is her last meet, so it was really exciting. And I love to watch Julia on floor because she looks like she’s having fun, and she’s been a great team leader and an inspirational person on our team. She’s been key for us.”
Injuries hampered the Berries most of this season, and they did again on Friday night.
“It has been a tough year with injuries,” Farrer said. “It’s been hard. But they’ve toughed it out pretty well. They’ve come back off their injuries pretty fast, I think. They’re a tough group of kids.”
Kline added, “It’s been a rough season, but we stuck together and that’s all that counts.”
No. 2-ranked Roncalli won with a 111.4. Franklin Central also advanced as a team with a runner-up finish with a 109.475. Lawrence Central’s Jessie Leko was the all-around champion with a 38.325.
