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It’s a busy start to the gymnastics season for the Woodstock Academy girls.
The Centaurs had their season opener Jan. 3 in Glastonbury and got off to a successful start with wins over their hosts and Ellington.
Jan. 6 Woodstock Academy hosted the E. Lyme/Waterford/Norwich Tech co-op program and Old Lyme (the meet ended too late for this edition) and will now travel to Stonington Jan. 8 for another meet.
That’s three meets in six days.
“It’s a little different for us. We usually have a December meet to break up the beginning of the season,” said Centaurs coach Kasey Tocchio. “The East Lyme meet will be fun because they will be ready and will remember what they took away from last meet and what they want to fix. Then, we just have to push through Wednesday and recuperate after that.”
The Centaurs did well in the non-league opening event.
“It helps us set goals, our expectations for the year and it’s an eye opener for everybody,” Tocchio said.
Woodstock Academy did a little better than it expected.
The Centaurs finished with a 139.95 total to defeat Glastonbury (129) and Ellington (114.25) pretty handily.
They also eclipsed their own expectations.
Tocchio held a practice meet prior to the opener at Deary’s Gymnastics in Danielson and the team didn’t fare quite as well.
Freshman Taylor Markley made her high school debut in memorable fashion.
Markley finished first in the All-Around with a 36.4 total.
“I knew she would have a good first high school meet. She has always been an awesome competitor and will be that kind of kid that will thrive and love high school gymnastics,” said Tocchio.
Markley finished with identical 9.3 marks to finish first in both the beam and floor competitions. She also took first on the bars with a 9.0 and was tied for first with senior teammate Jenna Davidson in the vault with a 9.0.
“She had a beautiful beam routine,” Tocchio said. “Everything else wasn’t her best. She has the ability to really be up there this year. She is absolutely another (former Woodstock Academy standouts) Grace (Logan) or Paige (Stuyniski). She is just coming back from an injury and has room to improve everywhere.”
The beam is the hardest of the routines in high school gymnastics and the Centaurs have two athletes, Markley and Davidson, who thrive on the apparatus.
Davidson may have lost those teammates who pushed her last year — Ali Crescimanno, Lydia Taft, Abigail Vaida and Maddie Grube — but now has Markley playing that role and the two will be mutually beneficial to one another, providing competition from within.
“I think Taylor is great for Jenna. She helps motivate her in the gym and is a great workout partner. The two of them definitely push each other,” Tocchio said.
Davidson also performed well. The senior finished second in the All-Around with a 35.5.
In addition to tying for first in the vault, Davidson was also second on the floor (8.7); third in the beam (9.1) and tied for third with sophomore teammate Lindsey Gillies (8.7) on the bars.
“She had a good meet, but it’s early and there is room for improvement especially remembering how to compete and keep the nerves down. She did very well especially leading the team as one of the captains,” Tocchio said.
Senior Emily Arters was second in the vault (8.8) and bars (8.8) for the Centaurs.
Marc Allard
Director of Sports Information
The Woodstock Academy
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