THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, January 10, 1995 TAG: 9501100443
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
The regular season in Beach District gymnastics is a period of repetitions and fine tuning, hopefully culminating in peak performance at tournament time.
For defending Group AAA state champ Kellam, it is also a time to learning to deal with the pressure of living up to the reputation that comes with being a state champion.
If the Knights' performance Monday against Tallwood is any indiction, the gymnasts are handling it all just fine.
Kellam handed the Lions a lopsided 140.45-125.7 loss in a meet that also featured a 127.05-70.2 First Colonial victory over Ocean Lakes.
What was important about Kellam's victory was the fact that a goal of improving the team score to 140 points was met.
``We wanted to improve after the 132 points in our first meet,'' coach Debi Strausbaugh said. ``Next we'll shoot for 145 points.''
That is the total the Knights scored in taking last year's state team crown.
Living up to that performance is a big topic at Kellam, as four of the top five gymnasts returned to the lineup.
``I think we're handling (the pressure) pretty well,'' said Brooke Sawyer, who took Monday's all-around competition with a combined score of 36.85.
Sawyer didn't show any signs of letting it get to her, also taking blue ribbons on balance beam, in vaulting, on floor, and tying with teammate Michelle Alexander for first on uneven parallel bars.
Alexander took second in the all-around competition, with a score of 36.15.
Tallwood's Cheryl Risk was third at 34.9.
``We're pretty pleased with how we're progressing so far,'' Alexander said. ``I know I am. Brooke is really stepping up into the leader's role, and that's helping us.''
Sawyer is also making some of her routines a little more difficult in hopes of improving her team's chances to become only the third to repeat since the state tournament started in 1974.
``We put in lots of practice,'' Sawyer said. ``If we fall . . . we just get right back up and try again.'' ILLUSTRATION: JOSEPH JOHN KOTLOWSKI/Staff
Kellam gymnast Brooke Sawyer competes on the uneven bars during
Monday's meet at Tallwood.
by CNB