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Sports

DHHS Tigers Gymnastics Does It Again; Another Year, Another SCC Gymnastics Championship

Kimmy Megargee Leads Hand To Third Straight Southern Connecticut Conference Title

The Hand High gymnastics team was true to form Thursday night, winning the SCC gymnastics championship for the third year in a row and 17th in the last 19 years. The team scored 135.4 points, beating the other six teams at the meet, which was held at the Jonathan Law gym in Milford.

Kimmy Megargee, Hand’s talented junior gymnast was the top performer with a score of 35.95 and three other Hand gymnasts made the top six, junior Maia Smith and freshmen Stefani Taschner and Kendall Jerzyk.

Kelly Smith, the Tigers coach since 2007 and a member of the team from 1999-2002, was proud of the team’s effort. “All in all it was a very good day,” she said. “The bars have been a weak spot for us, but we had one of our best bar days, it was one of the highlights. We’ve been very strong on the floor all season long. We’re still having a little trouble on the beams, some little stuff that we’ll have to clean up before the states.”

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The state championship, which Hand has won eight times since 1993, but none since 2007, will be held Feb. 26.

Kimmy Megargee had scores of 9.25 on the vault, 8.9 on the bars, 8.8 on the beam and 9.0 on the floor to take top honors. “She’s so talented and added a lot of difficulties to her routines,” Coach Smith said. “She’s made a lot of improvements this year and is continually scoring around the 36 mark, which is huge, it’s a nine on every event. She’s strong everywhere, an anchor in our lineup. She’s closing us out in every event and we count on her getting a good score.”

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Kimmy recorded the top score in the bars and floor but placed second to Guilford’s Dana Colonese in the vault and beam. Guilford is a Team of One, which doesn’t field a full team but two gymnasts who practice with the Hand team and perform on their own at Hand events. “They’re friends, but both of them are athletes so they have a competitive drive and want to do well, so there’s some sort of rivalry,” Coach Smith said. “They were tied going into the last event, but Kimmy won the floors by a .2 margin. They both got better this year and they’re #1 and #2.”

Hand’s season has been marred by the snowy weather. “It’s been a rough season dealing with the cancellations,” the coach said. Meets have been postponed and practices cancelled. “They’re showing some inconsistencies, but we’re doing the best we can with the limited time and we’re really coming together.

“There’s extra pressure to compete in the states, with the top 24 teams performing. Last year we placed fourth and this year I’d love to win. We’re talented and have to put our best foot forward.”

After last night’s victory at the SCCs, coach Smith said, “We just have to fine tune things to compete at the states. Clean up some of the connections on the beams and do the little things like steps on landings. We’re in a pretty good place for this point in the season.”

Kimmy Megargee said, "Chances are good for a state championship as long as we don't mess up." She's looking for the toughest competition from Pomperaug and Valley Regional.

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