Hunterdon Central High School - Echo Yearbook (Flemington, NJ)

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Girls' Gymnastics Huuitanmi Girls, gymnastics team has outstanding season by Dawn Bridenbaugh The girls, varsity gymnastics team achieved a superb record of ll-2, undoubtedly the best season the team has ever had. Gymnastics requires great strength, muscle con- trol, and the ability to make routines look graceful and natural. To achieve this, the girls had to require of themselves extreme dedication. The Devils were guided by Coach Jennifer Spieker who reached a milestone in gymnastics coaching this year with 100 career wins. The team was also guided by the leader- ship and dedication of captain Wen- dy Wilfong and seniors Dianne Maddalena and Donna Sanborn. This season was captain Wendy Wilfongls most outstanding. Wendy went as an all-around in the first meet and competed in all three meets thereafter. It was Wendy's first year com- peting beam - her showing was un- real, commented Coach Spieker. Wendy's extremely dedicated. She not only motivated the team, but me. Senior Dianne Maddalena, a beam specialist, scored her personal highest this year of 8.6. She also contributed to the record breaking team score for beam. 164 Dianne was the organizer of all the equipment and was always there when you needed herf' stated Spieker. Donna Sanborn, who competed in both bars and vault, unfortunately was plagued by injuries this year. Donna scored personal bests on both bars 18.83 and vault 18.755 this year. Donna really pushed the kids - f especially on the bars - and she held her own on vault. commented Spieker. During the course of the season, the Devils broke an unbelievable nine records and scored the highest ever in the Sectionals and States f5th and 7th respectivelyj. In a dual meet against Columbia, the girls broke three of the nine records. They scored the highest team score ever achieved by the Devils, break- ing the highly coveted 100 point mark, scoring l0l.7. They also achieved the highest score on the bars and floor exercise. Many individuals have left their mark by attaining new records. One such person is sophomore Sherry Pettit who broke two records this year. Sherry broke the vaulting re- cord twice ---- first by scoring a 9.0 and then setting the new record at 9.35. Sherry also set a new all- around record of 34.0. Other record breakers this year were Ellen Denbigh, who set a re- cord on floor exercise by scoring a 9.3, and Tracy Stiel, who broke the uneven bar record of 8.9 in the first meet with a 8.95. The girls' first opponent was Hackettstown. The Devils defeated them easily 195.7-73.95, showing that they were a team to be contend- ed with. With one victory behind them, they eagerly awaited their next opponent, Montgomery, who also fell to the Devil power. Unfortunately, their scoring streak was stopped by a strong Buck Team, they lost 96.65-93.8. Like all good teams, however, they overcame the agony of de- feat and readied themselves for their next opponent --a Columbia. At this meet, the girls showed that dedication and concentration pay off by breaking three team records. The highlight of the evening was breaking the 100 point mark. Keeping up the winning spirit, they met their next four opponents with confidence and defeated them all. However, their second and last loss ofthe season loomed ahead. On October 27, the team traveled to Bridgewater East, where they would face both Bridgewater East and Franklin Township. The tough

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Back Row: Corrine Moeggenberg. Kathy Schafer. Debbie Archibald. Tracy Steil. Esther S!'j111L1l1Slil. .lanet Tolley. Sherry Pettit. Eileen Fisher. Sue Purcell. Robin Noll. Middle Row: Ellen Denbigh, Kathy Wallendal. onna Sehnietering. Eileen Morton. .lennifer Decker. Dawn Bridenbaugh. .lulie McCormack. Front Row: Donna Sanborn, Wendy Wilfong, Dianne Maddalena GIRLS' GYIVINASTICS HCHS OPP 95.70 Hackettstoivn 73.90 91,10 Montgomery Township 70.25 93.80 Brick Township 96.65 101.70 Columbia 100,40 97.80 Madison Township 88.15 97.85 Ridgewood 63.35 97,60 liast Brunswick 90.60 96.65 Bridgewater West 66.60 101 ,l9 Bridgenater liast 102.11 Franklin Township 85.66 100.80 Somerville 99.50 95.50 .l.P. Stevens 87.16 Cedar Ridge 92.15 100.30 Piseatanay 89,-10 5th Scetionals 7th States Bridgewater team proved to be too much for the Devils, and they were defeated 102.1 1-lO1.19. They easi- ly rolled by Franklin Township, however, setting a school record on beam of 24.82. As the season came to an end, the girls wondered whether they would be the team to celebrate Coach Spieker's 100th win. They knew that Somerville would be a tough team to beat, but the girls gave it their all. The meet was close, but the Devils edged by Somerville with a score of 100.8-99.5, giving Coach Spieker her lOOth win. The last meet of the season was against a once tough Piscataway team. The meet, although not very exciting, ended the season on a high note with another team score over 100. After the meet, the team began to prepare for the Sectionals and States. The girls placed 5th and 7th respectively. Although the team will miss the three outstanding seniors, a strong nucleus of gymnasts remains: ju- niors Ellen Denbigh, Eileen Mor- ton, and Donna Schweitering, and sophomores Tracy Steil, Sherry Pet- tit, Julie McCormick, and Eileen Fi- scher. The l982-83 season is one to look forward to. 165