Bears Vault To Top CV Hands University First Loss Since ‘93
Central Valley tilted University’s universe Friday during an altogether surprising District 8-4A gymnastics meet at North Central.
CV became the first Greater Spokane League team to defeat U-Hi in any competition since Dec. 9, 1993, when the Bears won a regular-season meet at their gymnasium.
The Bears also captured their first district title in at least a decade, but don’t ask 16-year coach Kim Brunelle for anything more specific.
“I’d have to look it up in my records,” said Brunelle, also announced as the GSL’s coach of the year during the Bear-market night. “I don’t honestly know right now because I can’t think.”
CV’s dominance of, and U-Hi’s trouble with, the balance beam provided the biggest difference. The Bears scored 41.50 on the event while U-Hi had 38.85 while falling off at least seven times.
The final tally was CV 162.15 points, U-Hi 161.65, a far cry from last week’s GSL season-ending meet that the Titans won by nearly four points.
“We did everything we could do to help (CV) win the meet,” said coach Stacey Heaton, whose Titans had won the past five district meets. “But I’m going to go out on a limb and say it was fluke tonight.”
The Valley rivals, plus third-place Ferris and fourth-place NC, advance to next Saturday’s Region IV-4A meet at Southridge High in Kennewick. The competition will be fiercer because the region has been allotted one team berth to the state meet.
CV’s team win wasn’t the lone unexpected development.
U-Hi senior Tara Hulbert, absent from the GSL all-around elite this year because of average beam and floor exercise scores, was fifth in both events to tie CV sophomore Emily Roberts for the all-around title. Hulbert, the defending district champ, also defended her title in her best event, the uneven bars, with an 8.9.
Roberts, unable to compete in the all-around much of the year while her broken foot healed, overcame an unusual injury from Thursday night to win the vault at 8.7 and tie Hulbert’s 34.50 in the all-around.
Roberts hurt her left wrist while performing during halftime of the CV-University Stinky Sneaker game. She slept in an awkward position Thursday night and had no mobility in her wrist when she awoke.
“I wore a magnet on it because my biology teacher said that would help,” Roberts said.
Roberts nailed the landing on her second and final vault, after taking a tumble on the first.
Hulbert and Roberts did a flip-flop. During the league season, Hulbert had the best score on vault, Roberts on bars.
Ferris senior Kacey Frederickson had the best scores on beam and floor during the GSL season, but she settled for second in both Friday.
CV senior Lindsay Linerud won the beam with a rock-solid 9.0 that was originally flashed as 9.3. A rival coach pointed out to the judges that the routine was only worth 9.3 when executed perfectly, so the mark was downgraded. Still, Linerud’s best of the league season had been 8.8, with four girls consistently ahead of her.
U-Hi freshman Alisa Brandle won the floor with an 8.85. Judges were tough with floor scores, as competitors had topped 8.9 13 times during the season, four by Brandle.
Brandle was injured during her final event, the bars, when her right foot hit the bar. She is expected to have X-rays today.
NC freshman Amber Baines, third all-around with a 34.2, placed seventh or better in every event.
CV had scored better twice this year, leaving Brunelle to call the meet “good, but not great.”
“We’ve never been No. 1,” Roberts said. “It’s always been U-Hi, U-Hi. We’re happy for them because they’re nice people, but is this nice.”
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