By Pete Borello
St. Francis High last week became the first gymnastics team to win three consecutive Central Coast Section championships.
The Lancers scored 177.250 points at the May 15 meet, with Los Altos (172.975) and Gunn (171.575) finishing a distant second and third, respectively.
“We coaches are so proud of our team,” St. Francis assistant coach Nancy Kludt said. “The girls competed with the confidence and technical strength that was the focus of all our training over the past few weeks. Having such a hard-working team with so much depth paid off.”
The Lancers proved just how deep they are by capturing the title without co-captain Tess Pinard, the team’s No. 3 all-around performer. The senior injured her ankle at the SCVAL South Division meet and could only cheer on her teammates last week at Gymtowne Gymnastics in San Bruno.
“We weren’t too worried because we knew we had other kids ready to go,” said St. Francis head coach Lynn Horiye, who has guided the Lancers to seven CCS titles. “They were prepared and they came through.”
St. Francis had three competitors finish among the top 10 all-around. Courtney Sinclair came in second by posting the highest score of her career (37.275). The sophomore took second on the uneven bars (9.4000), third on balance beam (9.350) and fifth on both the vault (9.125) and floor exercise (9.400).
“Courtney had her best meet of the year,” Horiye said. “And Corinne Allen had a great meet, too.”
Allen, with an all-around score of 36.125, placed sixth. The senior’s score included a 9.150 on vault for fourth-place.
Teammate Kristen Lund finished 10th all-around with a 34.200.
Los Altos had two competitors place in the top five overall, helping the team to its best CCS finish in several years. Emily Keenan (36.500) and fellow junior Ciera Kash (36.475) took fourth and fifth, respectively.
Keenan won the bars (9.425) and was second on floor (9.550).
“She was a little shaky on beam (9.000), but other than that she did really well,” Eagles coach Chelsa Anderson said.
Beam turned out to be one of the best events for Kash, as she placed second (9.450). She also tied for second on vault (9.175) and was third on floor (9.525).
“Her vault was really nice,” Anderson said. “She did well in everything but bars (8.325).”
The Eagles’ total score was one of their lowest of the season, which Anderson attributes to the order in which her team had to do the events.
“We had to start on beam, and they’re used to starting on vault,” the second-year coach said. “By the time we got to bars (their last event), their arms we’re tired.”
But Anderson said her gymnasts have a lot to be proud of and she was happy to see them finally finish ahead of Gunn.
Gunn - the CCS runner-up last year - received an outstanding performance from Mari Inouye, who won the all-around championship with a 37.75.
The senior’s first-place effort on beam (9.775) drew praise from opposing coaches, with Anderson calling it “gorgeous” and Kludt describing it as “spectacular.” Inouye tied for second on vault (9.175), placed third on bars (9.775) and fourth on floor (9.450).
Lisa Boxer finished seventh all-around (34.875) for Gunn. The Titans’ title chances took a hit in their first event when Suzie Hackstedde sprained her ankle at the end of her bars routine. She was unable to compete the rest of the day.
