At the girls gymnastics state championships, the hosts won the title, but the guests – teams and individuals – still enjoyed the show.

Salem High beat second-place Pinkerton and third-place Central on Saturday, Feb. 21, for its third straight New Hampshire championship, but Little Green athletes, as well as individuals from Goffstown, Pembroke, John Stark and West, took their turns on vault, bars, beam and floor, then cheered on friend and friendly foe alike.

“They really appreciate when they see a talented gymnast,” said Ginnie LaVallo, Salem’s head coach, mentioning no team in particular. “They know the work that goes into doing any of this. So it’s nice to see them watching the other competitors.”

Manchester Central
Central’s Ainsley Smith finished fifth in the all-around, helping the Little Green to 130.625 points, 5.575 behind the Blue Devils and two back of the Astros. Spaulding’s Kaitlyn O’Brien won the individual allaround with 36.2 points.

Sarah Conley and Hooksett’s Liz Wong added important points for Central, with Wong a top-10 performer on vault and bars.

Meg Norklun, who coaches Central and the lone West entrant, Jill Dusseault, said the sport fosters friendship because so many of the athletes know each other through gymnastics training centers, not just as school teammates or opponents.

Conley co-captained this year’s Central team with Chelsie Gilbert. They graduate, along with Bonnie Duval, Laura Robitaille and Molly Friedman-Cowan.

But Smith returns as a senior in 2010, and Wong, Abby Noonan, Jessica Carignan and Katie Williamson are back for their junior years. Emily Harrises competed on bars as a freshman.

Manchester West
Dusseault put up a top-20 effort on uneven bars, posting her best score of the year. Afterward, Norklun and Goffstown’s coach, Carol Raza, shared a laugh. “All season long, she’s either jumped off the bar or landed on her butt,” said Norklun good-naturedly. The coach embraced and congratulated Dusseault after the event.

Pembroke Academy, Goffstown and John Stark
Ashley Reade led a trio of individuals with Neighborhood ties in the all-around. John Stark’s Reade placed 19th overall, including a tie for 12th on beam.

Pembroke’s Kelsey Dobe was 25th in the all-around, keyed by strong showings on vault and floor.

Jana Hieber, representing Goffstown, finished 30th in the all-around. Her best performance came during the floor exercise.

Kristin Paradis, Trinity High’s mentor when the school had a team, coached Reade and Dobe, who train together in Bow. Paradis also mentored Prospect Mountain’s Haley Farnham, tied for 18th in the all-around, and Belmont’s Joy Piper, 23rd.