Powered by a crew of talented and determined athletes from Londonderry, the New England Gymnastics Training Center’s Level 3 girls’ squad snagged a slim but impressive title victory at the state championship tournament in Stratham on March 29.
The NEGTC crew performed consistently and well throughout its season leading up to the championship event, and then the locals did precisely what it took to collect the big state trophy.
The Level 3 bunch tallied a team score of 185.475 to snag first place by a scant 1.2 points.
The impressive work of 10-year-old level standout Ella Houghton sat at the center of the team’s success as she won the all-around with a score of 37.225. The Londonderry youngster also proved unbeatable on the uneven bars and in the floor exercise as well.
Her teammate Lilly Maher was also an inspiration to the rest of the squad as she battled through an illness to place fifth in the all-around (36.375) and grab second place on the bars.
The 10-year-old crew also received contributions from Olivia Colliton, who took fourth on bars (9.25) and went top-20 in the all-around (18th, 34.30) and on the balance beam (18th, 8.725), and Alyssa Parsons, who was seventh on vault (9.20), 13th on beam (8.975), and 19th on bars (8.75).
And among the Level 3, six and seven-year-olds, Londonderry and the NEGTC crew were well represented by Sophia Magee, who ended up 15th in the all-around (34.30), seventh on vault (9.15), ninth on beam (8.60), and 16th on floor (8.70).
The Level 3 girls’ title-winning team is coached by Tim Madore, Nicki McCarthy, and Rryan Angers.