MELROSE — Sunday’s Wakefield vs. Melrose gymnastics meet featured two evenly-matched teams who competed closely in every event.
The home team Melrose Red Raiders took a 102.5-101.3 lead into the final event. Luckily for Wakefield, that final routine, the floor, is consistently their best. The Warriors came up clutch with a 35.3-32.75 victory on floor for an overall win against their rivals by a final of 136.6-135.25.
Leading the way on floor were senior captains Molly Grady (9.15) and Sydney Yee (8.65).
Grady’s impressive day included three events with a score of 9.1 or better. She also got a 9.1 on the vault and a clutch 9.3 on the beam, a single routine which played a big part in giving her team a chance to win it on floor. Her 36.05 all-around score was the best of the day.
Yee had a solid all-around score of 33.85, her best events of the day being the vault and the floor where she got identical 8.65 scores.
In addition to Yee and Grady’s scores on floor, Wakefield’s Sophia Anderson (8.8) and Paige Butland (8.7) helped the Warriors win the floor by nearly three points and take the meet with a close margin of victory.
On vault, Grady’s 9.1 and Yee’s 8.65 were followed by an 8.35 from Anderson and an 8.3 from Cheyenne Toppi. Michaela Lyons scored a 7.6 and Angelina Nardone a 7.4. Melrose took a 35.7-34.4 win on vault.
Yee led the way on bars with an 8.55 followed by Grady’s 8.5. Butland’s 8.2 and Toppi’s 7.6 finished up the scoring. The Warriors took bars by a score of 32.85-32.55 bringing the overall score to 68.25-67.25 Melrose.
The Red Raiders edged the Warriors on beam 34.25-34.05 to extend their lead to 102.5-101.3 going into floor.
Grady’s meet-best beam routine was preceded by strong work from Butland (8.5), Anderson (8.25) and Yee (8.0). Christina Covelle also had a steady beam routine at 7.8.
Wakefield’s victory came just three days after a win over Woburn on Feb. 10 on Senior Night. A full story of that meet will appear at a later date.
The Warriors will be competing in the Middlesex League Meet today, 4:30 p.m. in Burlington.