Gymnastics defeated Wellesley 145.7-138.6, continuing its 3-0 win streak in the SOA, Tuesday, Jan. 7. The team’s score of 145.7 shattered the previous school record of 144.6.
“It’s cliche to say but every single competitor was a highlight of the meet,” said head coach Cassie Ford. “Every single one came out to win.”
The meet began with the Tigers on vault and Wellesley on uneven bars. North scored an impressive 37 points with an exceptional vault performance from freshman Lucia Grapski, who scored a whopping 9.35 points. Her routine, complete with a nearly flawless Yurchenko pike, contributed greatly to the overall record-breaking meet score.
“We started the meet off strong, and people were able to channel their pressure into their performances,” said senior Peter Engel. “Team support was much better, and Wellesley is the highest-scoring team other than us in the conference which was a big boost.”
Senior Sofia Dukakis, a captain along with seniors Molly Haughton and Kristina Petrulakis, Dukakis, beat her all-around record with a score of 37.2. According to Dukakis, if the Tigers can continue to achieve similar scores they will be in favorable standing to secure top six placement in the Bay State league and advance to sectionals.
In a tense delivery on beam, Dukakis performed fearlessly, scoring 9.45 after an impeccable dismount. Grapski scored 9.4 and Katherine Shu scored 9.1, also greatly supporting the team with a total score of 36.75 for the event.
The pressure reached an all-time high as the Tigers prepared to close out the night with their floor routines. Grapski rose to the occasion with an outstanding performance that earned her an impressive score of 9.3, right alongside sophomore Simona Batista-Ciani who scored 8.9, and freshman Alana Dukakis who scored 8.7.
North’s total floor event score was 36.1, ending the meet on a high note.
Engel added, “We need to keep up the momentum and keep the spirit high. We’ve been pretty engaged as a team with team dinners and Secret Santa. We’re continuing to work on skills and confidence so we don’t get discouraged.”
According to Dukakis, with such a strong start to the season, the team expects many more great meets and possibly a win at states.
Junior Samantha Shu said, “We’ve worked really hard to get better. We broke the school record last year and we broke it again this year. I have really high hopes for the team.”
North, 4-0, broke its record once again two times consecutively in wins against Needham and Weymouth. The Tigers will face Braintree away Friday, Jan. 24.
