Melrose takes 4th, awaits Sectional rankings
By JENNIFER GENTILE
BURLINGTON—The Melrose High gymnastics team had all the reason to celebrate on Monday, Feb. 12 when they competed in the 2024 Middlesex League Meet and placed among the best with a point total of 135 and well ahead of ML rivals such as Wakefield, Winchester and Burlington.
Moreover, individuals earned league medals for scores in their events including Noah Williamson in the vault, who came in second with a fantastic 9.1 vault, which earned him silver and only behind a rival from Burlington in the event.
Meanwhile Melrose’s Bella Ferrante also landed on the podium with a bronze medal finish in the floor thanks for her fantastic 9.25 routine. Haylee Smith of Melrose placed 4th in bars with an 8.7.
Melrose’s best event of the day was vault, a mainstay all season for them, and they also had a surprisingly strong beam performance. In vault they would see strong efforts across the board thanks to Maya Weissman, Bella Ferrante, Abby Dennison, Ashley Muller, Sumin Kang and a lights out vault by Noah Williamson who topped nearly everyone in the gym with his 9.1 jump.
Melrose placed 3rd as a team in bars behind the work of Aislin Savage, Abby Dennison, Hillary Bush, Sumin Kang and Haylee Smith.
Melrose’s beam efforts were one of the best of the season thanks for work of Grace Gentile, Leila Sontin, Ashley Muller, Sumin Kang, Bella Ferranti and a very strong Haylee Smith who scored 8.9.
Melrose simply rocked the floor thanks to work from Katelyn Plourde, Noah Williamson, Aislin Savage, Ashley Muller, Haylee Smith and Bella Ferranti with a dynamite 9.25.
“I was so proud of the team. They went into the meet and gave it their all. We went into the meet 5th and came out fourth,” says Melrose head coach Denise Valdez. “This is what happens when you stay on the beam.”
Melrose, with 135.3 points, will now await to see if their highest point average will allow them to return to Sectionals for the first time since 2022. To make the cut most teams average anywhere from 135-137 for an entrance total. Should Melrose qualify, expect them to be in good company with their ML rivals Reading, Wilmington/Bedford and Burlington likely making an appearance as teams from the North.
Should they not qualify, Melrose will wrap up their medal winning season, and say goodbye to just one senior, captain Grace Gentile. Says the coach, “I was so happy with Grace’s performance at meets. It was her last competition and she made it one of her best!”
Melrose returns 11 gymnasts in 2024-5 so expect them to be a league favorite.