Columbus North’s Reese Euler touches her toes on a leap during her beam routine at Franklin Central Sectional Feb. 28 at The Gymnastics Company in Indianapolis.
The Republic file photo
The Columbus North gymnasts will look to secure another podium spot once again.
The Bull Dogs will compete with eight other teams in the Gymnastics State Finals at Worthen Arena on the campus of Ball State in Muncie at 11:30 a.m. Saturday.
North’s regional score of 109.175 was the fifth-best score across the state, but less than a point out of third. The Bull Dogs have the capability of putting up a higher score like they in the Connersville Invitational, when they scored a 110.425.
North coach Bob Arthur pointed out one of the main things is keeping positivity in the gym.
“All the coaches have pointed out to the successes they had. I think that’s going to be important to know that they are a capable, strong group of girls,” Arthur said. “If you look at our team high score, we’ve scored well over 109 multiple times now. The girls have a lot going for them. I wouldn’t switch places with any other coach, and I think they’re consistency we’ve been working on is going to pay off. They’ve been doing a lot of reps on things. I feel really good on what’s going to happen Saturday.”
Columbus North’s Hayden Harper competes on the bars against Bloomington South and Edgewood Jan. 30 at Columbus North.
The Republic file photo
North freshman Hayden Harper didn’t compete on the floor exercise last week as a precaution due to a sore ribs, but Arthur said she’ll participate in all four rotations Saturday.
Saturday will be the final gymnastics meet for the Bull Dog seniors, including Reese Euler, who has had a stellar career in the sport. She’s been the top gymnast for the past three years after watching then-senior Emily Moore win the state title on the beam, floor and the all-around when Euler was a freshman in 2022.
Euler has several second-, third- and fourth-place finishes, but hasn’t won a state title in an event for her high school career and hopes to change that Saturday.
“I would like to win an event. That’s always been a goal of mine,” Euler said. “I’m just trying to focus on my routine, so that’s the only thing I can control. I think if I work on it in practice, it should reflect something positive at the meet, so I think that’d be my overall goal is to win an event and just hit 4 for 4.”
Euler has a strong chance at making the podium in all four events, including the all-around, where she was third last year.
“Reese is capable of taking a top spot in any of the events and including all-around,” Arthur said. “She’s been very close. She’s been on the podium with every event last year and in all-around. She is primed and prepped to bring it. She’s very motivated to bring in a good, solid performance on Saturday. It would not surprise me if she took home a gold in any event at all including all-around.”
Valparaiso and Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger have put themselves ahead of the pack with scores of over 113 in the regional. Five other schools, including North, are all separated by around a single point.
While getting on the podium is a possibility, the Bull Dogs are hoping to land a top-three finish.
“We’re really quite capable of a top-three finish. From what I’ve seen, you can never really tell until you have everybody in the same gym and being judged by the same judges,” Arthur said. “There’s no doubt Valpo and (Dwenger) have the two highest scores through regional at this time. If I was a betting man, I’m going to put my money on us because I think we’ve done very well on our training, and we’re going to rise to the occasion.”
“At sectional and at regional, we posted good scores I feel like, even with some of us not having the best on every event,” Euler added. “If we can all go into Saturday with confidence knowing we can hit each event, I think we’ll end up with a pretty high team score and get on the podium.”
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