Randolph Gymnastics saw mixed results last week, following up a loss to Mount Olive 107.45 to 104.77 on Tuesday, Oct. 15, which was also Senior Night, to beat Montclair 103.6 to 103.525, two days later on Thursday, Oct. 17.
Despite the Senior Night loss to Mount Olive on Tuesday, the gymnasts made great memories as senior captains Sanaa Thakkar, Maggie Sullivan and Alexa Capriglione were recognized for their leadership, hard work and dedication during their time in the program.
“I will miss going out after practice and bonding with the seniors during competitions,” said freshman Juliette Crisafulli of her senior teammates’ positive impact on the team. “They try to cheer the team on and help others in the best way possible.”
The seniors expressed that it was bittersweet knowing this season would be their last with RHS. “I will miss the support from Coach Sue and my teammates,” Capriglione said. “They were always encouraging me and pushing me to be the best athlete I possibly could.”
The Senior Night loss to Mount Olive confirmed that the Marauders are a hard team to beat. Despite this, both Crisafulli and Thakkar got their names on the scoreboard on uneven bars. With close scores, the top three contenders were only .125 apart, resulting in Crisafulli placing first and Thakkar third.
The Rams continued to fight hard in other events, resulting in a string of third-place finishes from junior Jessica Leonard on beam, Crisafulli on floor, Capriglione on vault and Thakkar in the all- around.
While it was not enough for Randolph to take the win, the Rams used this loss to regroup for the next meet. “The gymnastics environment is a very hard-working and determined one,” Capriglione said after the Mount Olive meet. “When we practice, the goal is to finish our assignments and prepare for the upcoming meet.”
Two days later, the Rams took on Montclair, another challenging competitor. The Rams battled for places, resulting in Crisafulli and Thakkar taking first and third in the all-around. Crisafulli also placed first on uneven bars and floor. Thakkar brought home a first-place win on beam and vault. With help from Capriglione, Crisafulli scored second on vault as well.
The Rams compete @ Ridgewood next for the In-Season Tournament on Monday, Oct. 21.
