THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 19, 1995 TAG: 9502190222
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Cox High captured the Eastern Region gymnastics meet's team title for the sixth time since 1974 Saturday at Warwick High, proving at the halfway point of the competition that the Falcons were indeed a team.
The second rotation had the Falcons on balance beam - often the make-or-break event of a gymnastics competition. And all six Cox gymnasts managed at least one fall off the apparatus, putting the Falcons in an unenviable position - seven-tenths of a point behind Kempsville.
But Cox showed what it was made of in the next event - the uneven bars - with everybody chipping in strong performances to give the Falcons a combined 36.80. Kempsville finished with a 35.3 to fall eight-tenths of a point behind Cox heading into the floor exercise.
On floor, Cox increased its margin to finish 1.95 points ahead of the Chiefs.
Trish Feltz led the way on bars with a 9.55 - good enough for second in the event - and got help from Lana Pinera's 9.25 and Britt Moore's 9.1. The team's fourth score toward the total was a tie between Lucy Fisher and Erin Schweitzer at 8.9.
``We were really nervous after beam,'' Pinera said. ``We knew that another bad event might keep us from qualifying for state.
``We needed to pull together and we did.''
Moore's 9.5 on floor was good enough for a tie for first place with Kellam's Michelle Alexander. Schweitzer chipped in a 9.3, Pinera a 9.15 and Fisher an 8.95.
Kempsville, however, still advance to Friday's Group AAA team competition at Ocean Lakes.
The individual portion of the state meet will be held this Saturday at Ocean Lakes. From the Region meet, any gymnast scoring a 35 or higher in all-around, the top eight in each individual event and any competitor scoring a 9.0 or better in an event advances to state.
Menchville was eight points behind Kempsville to take third. Denbigh was fourth at 127.95, followed by Southeastern District representatives Great Bridge at 127.25 and Deep Creek at 119.45.
Alexander captured her second-straight all-around title despite an effort a half-point less than her Beach District-winning score. She also tied for first on balance beam with Kempsville's Kristen Grabb at 9.4 and was fourth on uneven bars at 9.35.
But it was her eighth-place 8.7 in vaulting that nearly cost her.
``I've never been very good at vaulting,'' said the sophomore who finished with a combined 36.95.
Peninsula all-around champion Brooke Schubert of Warwick entered her final event on beam with a quarter-point lead over Alexander, but only managed an 8.75 - leaving Alexander needing a 9.05 to win. She got a 9.4.
Schubert's finish also left the door open for Grabb, who finished on floor with a 9.45 that was good enough to move her into second in the all-around with a 36.7.
Schubert ended up third with a 36.55, with First Colonial's Marissa Sutor finishing strong for a 36.50 and fourth. by CNB