By Ryan O’connor

By defeating Manchester Central, Nashua South, Nashua North and St. Thomas Aquinas on Jan. 4, the Salem girls gymnastics team extended its record to 5-0.

The defending state champs beat previously undefeated Central 134.755 to 125.114 to take the meet.

Though coach Ginnie LaVallo said bars are traditionally her squad’s Achilles heel, Leeann Vadala, Jolena Diefendorf and Shireen Kirata swept the event with scores of 9.0, 8.8 and 7.9 respectively.

Jessica Maffeo edged Little Green standout Ainsley Smith on vault, 8.45 to 8.43.

Diefendorf, with a personal-best 8.95, and Vadala, with an 8.9, finished second and third behind Smith on beam.

Likewise, Smith beat Diefendorf and Maffeo on floor, 8.95 to 8.9 and 8.75.

But a 34.85 all-around score moved Diefendorf past her Queen City foe, who scored 34.05, for the individual title.

On Dec. 18, Salem defeated Concord in a dual meet, 134.35 to 119.8.

On vault, Maffeo took first with an 8.65, and Diefendorf placed third with an 8.2.

Vadala’s personal-best 9.3 on bars earned her top honors, and Diefendorf placed third in the event before earning an 8.6 on beam, good for second place.

Salem took the top thee spots on the floor, led by Maffeo’s 9.0. Shireen Kirata came in second with a personal-best 8.65, and Jordan Buatti finished third with an 8.5.

Diefendorf won the all-around with a score of 33.6.