LATHAM — Saratoga Springs Varsity Gymnastics Team had wins all around in the Section II Championships on Feb. 16.
Saratoga earned their 20th straight sectional win under Coach Deb Smarro, aside from last season in which Section II sponsored events were cancelled due to COVID-related reason. In place of sectionals, Suburban Council schools held their own year-end meet with the Blue Streak still able to secure a team title there.
Before Saratoga’s run began in 2002 under Coach Andrea Snyder-Pedersen, Shaker was the last team champions in 2001; Coach Smarro took over Saratoga’s program in 2007 and continued the winning streak.
This season, the Blue Streaks have been led by lone senior Carly Rushack and lone junior Erika Sudigala, in addition to three sophomores and three freshmen. The team is young but talented, with 11 out of 19 members being middle schoolers (five 8th graders and 6th seventh graders).
Individually, Saratoga’s girls had top scores, aside from the balance beam in which Guilderland’s Miranda Putorti scored a 9.150 and BC’s Ella Bishop scored a 9.100. But, Rushack was able to claim the highest all-around score with a 34.500 which included a 1st place finish on the floor (9.250), a 2nd place finish on the uneven bars (8.200), and a 3rd place finish on the beam (9.050).
Team Scores: Saratoga Springs, 168.725; Bethlehem, 162.150; Guilderland, 153.175; Shaker, 150.600.
All Around: Rushack (Saratoga), 34.500; Seebode (Guilderland), 33.675; Skinner (Saratoga), 33.550; Browne (Bethlehem), 33.525; Putorti (Guilderland), 33.175; Kosoc (Bethlehem), 33.125; Kearns (Shaker), 33.100; Austin (Saratoga), 32.925; Gleeksman (Saratoga), 32.925; Sudigala (Saratoga), 32.525.
Vault: Gleeksman (Saratoga), 8.800; Angelina Damiano (Saratoga), 8.650; Seebode (Guilderland), 8.400; Chiaia Poust (Bethlehem), 8.250; Sudigala (Saratoga), 8.175.
Uneven Bars: Austin (Saratoga), 8.300; Rushack (Saratoga), 8.200; Skinner (Saratoga), 8.000; Browne (BC), 8.000; Gleeksman (Saratoga), 7.850.
Balance Beam: Putorti (Guilderland), 9.150; Ella Bishop (Bethlehem), 9.100; Rushack (Saratoga), 9.050; Kosovo (BC), 9.000; M. Austin (Saratoga), 9.975.
Floor: Rushack (Saratoga), 9.250; Seebode (Guilderland), 9.050; Sudigala (Saratoga), 8.950; Browne (BC), 8.775; Kearns (Shaker), 8.750.
Miranda Putorti (Guilderland), Maddy Austin (Saratoga), and Charlie Gleeksman (Saratoga), along with top three all-arounders Carly Rushack (Saratoga), Addie Seebode (Guilderland), and Ayla Skinner (Saratoga), will be heading to the Section II State Championships on March 5 at Kenmore West High School in Buffalo.
