Gymnastics Feature Article

Lowell Celebrates Their 10th Place Finish at States

Gymnastics Earns Top-10 State Finish

Justin Scott - Sports Reporter

3/10/2024

For the second time in program history, the Lowell Gymnastics team earned their spot in the state's top ten best squads. The Red Arrow gymnasts turned in a score of 135.225, which was good enough for a top-ten finish in the state, tenth place at this year’s state finals. Lowell beat out Fraser and Huron Valley United, finishing less than a point behind Haslett United in ninth place. It was Lowell's best finish at the state finals since 2014, where they also placed 10th. Lowell has qualified for the state finals eight of the last eleven seasons.

Lowell’s best apparatus on Friday was vault, where LHS’s 35.2 was sixth best of all teams competing on the day. Alexis Clark tied for second place on the vault in the team competition with a 9.15.

Additionally Lowell finished with a 33.0 on bars, 33.65 on beam, and 33.375 on floor. Julia Meier had a top-ten finish for Lowell on bars and beam, and had the top score for Lowell on floor.

In addition to Meier and Clark, Leah Krieger, Jordan Velzen, Haley Haywood,  Ella Curtis, Brena Lacey,  Emmalee Bonn, and Olivia Lothian made contributions for LHS.

38 schools had gymnasts compete in Saturday's individual state finals also held at Kenowa Hills. Lowell had four competitors, Julia Meier, Olivia Lothian, Brena Lacey, and Alexis Clark.

All of Lowell's gymnasts on the weekend competed in division two. There are no divisions based on enrollment for teams, meaning the top team in enrollment, Rockford-Sparta at 3,408, competes at even footing with the lowest enrolled teams, of which Lowell is one of the lowest. More than half the teams that compete in MHSAA gymnastics are co-op teams. The individual gymnasts are divided into two divisions though.

Division I gymnasts are classified as anybody who has ever competed in a non-school competition specific levels deemed by governing gymnastics associations. Lowell has had very few division one gymnasts over the years. The rest compete in division two.

Brena Lacey competed on bars, where she scored an 8.30 and tied for 18th place overall.

Lothian competed on both bars and vault. She scored an 8.70 on vault, tying her for 19th. On bars, she tied for 20th with an 8.275, just behind her teammate Lacey.

Meier tied for fifth on beam with a 9.075, and fifth place on bars as well with an 8.75. She also tied for eight on vault with an 8.8500.

Lowell's lone all-around competitor was  Alexis Clark who finished 7th with a 34.975, and apparatus scores of 8.95 (floor),  8.3750 (beam), 8.5 (bars), and 9.15 (vault). Clark's score on vault was Lowell's best finish of the day, fourth place, she also notched a top-ten finish on bars.

Additionally, Lowell finished the season with academic all-state accolades.