A Force of Gymnasts to Reckon With

SARATOGA SPRINGS — The Saratoga Gymnastics team is a force of gymnasts to reckon with. They are already having a fabulous season and show no signs of stopping. Gymnast Ava Dallas is ranked 1st all-around. 

Saratoga Gymnastics moved to 4-0 on the season by defeating Guilderland 170.85 – 163.25 on Thursday, January 16 at the Wilton YMCA.  The team score was the highest of the season for the Blue Streaks.  Saratoga secured the top 3 all-around spots led by Ava Dallas (1st all-around; 37.15) followed by Sophia Damiano (2nd all-around; 36.25) and Carly Ruschak (3rd all-around; 33.70).  Guilderland’s top all-around performer was Alison Rem (4th all-around; 33.40).  Saratoga gymnasts captured the top spot in each of the four individual events with Ava Dallas winning the bars (9.35), the beam (9.60), and the floor (9.20).  Sophia Damiano captured the vault (9.45). 

Junior Ava Dallas scored a 9.6 on beam Thursday night for the Saratoga Springs High School gymnastics team breaking the school record of 9.575 set by Kaitlin Dewey in 2005.  In addition to winning the beam, Dallas also placed first on the floor (9.2), the bars (9.35) and the all-around (37.15) in leading Saratoga to a dual meet win over Guilderland 170.85 – 163.25.

“My beam routine is really starting to come together as I add back in some of my higher level skills,” commented Dallas.

  “Honestly, I’m just happy to be able to compete after being sidelined for a few weeks at the beginning of the season with a stress fracture in my back.  The doctor suggested that I shut it down for the season, but this sport and this team mean too much to me to miss my junior year.” 

Dallas was able to modify her routines and eliminate skills that caused her discomfort.

 “My back won’t be fully healed for several more months but right now everything feels good and I’m looking forward to Sectionals and States.”

In addition to the beam record, Dallas also owns the school (and Section 2) record on the vault of 9.475 she set last year at the New York State Gymnastics Championship Meet.  Dallas was the Section 2 all-around runner-up in 2019 and was the Section 2 all-around champion in 2018.

Saratoga Springs Gymnastics moved to 5-0 on the season by defeating previously unbeaten Bethlehem 170.75 – 166.35 on Monday, January 20 at the Wilton YMCA.  Although the Bethlehem team score broke a school record, the Blue Streaks were too much as they secured 3 of the top 4 all-around spots led by Sophia Damiano (1st all-around; 36.55) followed by Ava Dallas (2nd all-around; 36.10) and Carly Ruschak (4th all-around; 33.85).  Bethlehem’s top all-around performer was Alison Gray (3rd all-around; 34.25).  Saratoga gymnasts captured the top spot in each of the four individual events with Ava Dallas winning the bars (9.10), the beam (9.15), and the floor (9.10).  Sophia Damiano captured the vault (9.25). 

Bethlehem has one more shot at ruining Saratoga Springs Gymnastics perfect dual meet season as the Blue Streaks travel to Bethlehem on Thursday, January 30 (6 p.m. start time). Both teams come into the meet with a 4-0 dual meet record.  Saratoga Gymnastics has won 18 consecutive Section 2 Gymnastics titles.