By DAN PAWLOWSKI
WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield High gymnastics team kicked off their 2024 season against an always-tough Winchester squad on Jan. 2. The Warriors had multiple strong routines but came up just short, 129.65-120.35.
Leading the Warriors this year is new head coach Meg Delory, an assistant the past six seasons in Wakefield with former head coach Rachel Lucas.
“We coached six incredibly fun and successful seasons together and I’m grateful for the way she included me in so much of the program planning and coaching process,” said Delory of Lucas. “Coaching in the Middlesex League has been an absolute joy; there are so many experienced coaches who I’ve known since my own days as a gymnast and it’s a competitive yet fiercely supportive group of coaches and athletes. I’m excited to continue to work with them in my new role as head coach and especially to do so with Elise Rich by my side as an assistant coach.”
Rich, whose younger sister Mia Rich is a senior captain this season, was a two-year captain of the Warriors and 2020 graduate. She was an all-around performer on the team that secured Wakefield’s first win in 2018 after a decade of losses and continued to lead the team through multiple winning seasons.
Of course, Lucas and Delory were responsible for orchestrating an incredible turnaround starting their first year in 2017-18 snapping the 10-year losing streak and going a combined 21-6 over the next four seasons.
Wakefield’s program is no longer fighting for survival as evidenced by the current roster, which includes nearly 30 athletes, but they are hoping to rebound from last year’s tough season which included just a couple of wins.
This year, the team will be led by senior captains Rich, Cheyenne Toppi and Morgan Veit.
“They each have unique strengths as leaders and work incredibly well together,” said Delory.
Toppi and Rich, all-around competitors, are looking to build on strong seasons last year and are ready to lead the way. Veit is the team’s head manager, keeping the group organized and on-task.
“In addition to the team’s success at competitions, the captains have made great efforts when it comes to team bonding,” said Delory. “We have three additional senior athletes (Lucy Cremin, Ali Strongosky and Nicole Dowd) and a senior manager (Remi Mayo) who also lead by example and are valuable senior members of our team.”
The Warriors have multiple goals this season, their top one revolving around building the depth that made the team so successful over the last six campaigns.
“Our main goal is to develop the depth of our varsity lineup and anchor each meet with consistency,” said the coach. “We’re aiming to showcase some impressive gymnastics skills and routines – while having fun and staying safe. We have only a few athletes who train year round and they are incredibly important to our team. We rely just as heavily on athletes who participated in the sport as kids and returned to it for the high school season. It takes a lot of courage to come back and re-learn or acquire skills at the level expected for higher-scoring high school routines.
“We are also embracing the talents of athletes who are experienced cheerleaders and dancers but who are newer to the world of gymnastics. Their tumbling and choreography expertise have been welcome assets. We’re hoping to highlight them in JV exhibition performances at home meets.”
In addition to Rich and Toppi, Delory is expecting big things from junior Michaela Lyons and sophomores Cara Carangelo and Sophia Tulipani. Dowd, Strongosky and Cremin are floor specialists and ever-improving event specialists, sophomores Kyler Dennison, Liv Wall (vault, floor), Danielle McCauley (beam) and Tori Grace (floor) are sure to make some noise this season.
Against Winchester, Toppi had the best score of the meet on vault with an 8.9. She went on to finish 2nd for Wakefield on bars (7.4), Beam (8.2) and floor (7.6) for an all-around score of 32.1.
Rich had an all-around score of 33.45. She had the best routine of the meet on bars with an 8.6 and also took first for Wakefield on beam (8.95) and floor (7.8) while taking second on vault (8.1).
Rounding out the top four on vault was Wall (8.05) and Dennison (8).
Rounding out the top four on bars was Carangelo (6.7) and Tulipani (6.1).
Tulipani took third on beam (6.85) and Lyons was fourth (6).
Carangelo was third on floor (6.6) and Dowd took fourth (6.5).
Delory was most proud of the Warriors who competed in certain events at the varsity level for the first time.
“The meet featured many courageous firsts: Michaela Lyons on bars, Kyler Dennison on beam, Liv Wall on vault and floor and Ali Strongosky, Nicole Dowd and Cara Carangelo on floor. While undeniably proud of our first meet’s efforts, we’ve identified areas where we can improve and are excited for upcoming home meets.”
Pride is a common theme for this year’s team and for Delory in her first season at the helm. The Wakefield native had a terrific club and high school gymnastics career at Bishop Fenwick. The 2011 MA Senior National High School Gymnastics team member started coaching at YMCA Metro North Gymnastics Center after college and is now proud to take over a program that she has worked hard to help revive.
“I’ve been a lifelong fan of Wakefield gymnastics,” said Delory. “As a young gymnast residing in Wakefield, I loved going to watch Wakefield’s meets and then eventually enjoyed competing against friends in a Wakefield vs. Bishop Fenwick meet when I was in high school.”
Delory’s aunt, Maura (Cardillo) Melanson, coached the team in the 90’s highlighted by the 1994-95 undefeated Middlesex League champions.
“It is a gift to now coach the children of some of her former champions,” says Delory.
Speaking of family, since 2007, a scholarship in memory of Delory’s father, Mark, has been awarded to a senior gymnast to recognize their motivation and dedication to the sport, a tradition that coach Delory is certainly proud to see continue every season.
With that pride and motivation to succeed, a new era of Wakefield gymnastics is underway, with plenty of anticipation.
The Warriors will host Arlington tomorrow night at 6:30 p.m. and Medford on Thursday at 4:30 p.m