Last year, the Central girls gymnastics team finished third in the state and missed the opportunity to advance to the New England regionals.

This year, the Little Green moved up a spot, earning the honor of representing the state at the regional competition.

“This is the first time in my seven years, so we’re all very excited,” said head coach Meg Norklun. “The past two weeks they’ve been working really hard. They all stepped up, and it showed in the highest team score they’ve gotten all season.” Central tallied 131.95 points, falling only to defending state champ Salem’s 135.9.

Led by Ainseley Smith, Central won vault, finished second on bars and floor, and took third on beam.

Smith placed fourth in the all-around, earning a total individual score of 35.55, including third on floor with a 9.05 and on vault with a 9.025.

She also tied for seventh on bars with an 8.65 and was ninth on beam with an 8.825.

Teammate Sarah Conley earned a personal best in the all-around with a 16th-place score of 32.35.

She finished 11th on floor with an 8.7, 13th on bars with a 7.875, 21st on vault with an 8.05 and 25th on beam with a 7.725.

Liz Wong tied for 16th on vault with an 8.2 and took 17th on bars with a 7.55.

Abby Noonan tied for 12th on bars with a 7.9, was 16th on floor with an 8.525 and 17th on beam with an 8.2.

Captain Emi Clark also scored for her team, earning a 27th-place 7.65 on beam, as did Molly Friedman-Cowan, who turned in a 23rd-place 8.225 on floor and 29th-place 7.8 on vault.

“Everybody got season highs,” said Norklun. “We hope to be just as competitive at New Englands.”

Pembroke
Kelsey Dobe finished 28th in the all-around with 30.775 points. She tied for 14th on bars with a 7.7, tied for 23rd on floor with an 8.3, tied for 33rd on vault with a 7.6 and was 35th with a 7.25 on beam.

Derryfield School Bonnie Freidman was 31st in the all-around with a score of 29.95. She earned 17th on beam with an 8.2 and 24th on vault with a 7.975, was 24th on floor with a 7.625 and tied for 40th on bars with a 6.15.

Manchester Memorial Steph Day was 27th on vault with a 7.9 and 37th on floor with a 7.475.

Kalleen Schultze earned 29th on bars with a 6.775, tied for 30th on beam with a 7.5 and was 31st on vault with a 7.7.

Manchester West
Jill Dusseault came in 27th in the all-around with 28.8 points. She was 35th on floor with a 7.6, tied for 34th on vault with a 7.55, tied for 34th on beam with a 7.3 and tied for 37 on bars with a 6.35.

Trinity
Kate Moody tied for fifth place on floor with an 8.95 and took 23rd on vault with an 8.0.

Teammate Alex Halle took 16th in the all-around with a 32.625. She earned 12th on floor with an 8.675, 14th on vault with an 8.3, tied for 14th on beam with an 8.4 and tied for 22nd on bars with a 7.25.

Emily Hinton tied for 35th on vault with a 7.5, 36th on bars with a 6.4 and 42nd on floor with a 7.25.