Thursday, March 3, 2011

Brecksville could break state gymnastics record: High School Winter Sports Insider

Brecksville could break state gymnastics record: High School Winter Sports Insider

Brecksville could break state gymnastics record: High School Winter Sports Insider

Posted: 02 Mar 2011 11:47 PM PST

Plain Dealer staff reports, March 03, 2011 9:57 a.m.

The Brecksville-Broadview Heights gymnastics team won its seventh straight state title last year. - (Thomas Ondrey l PD file)

It sounds like a broken record, but it still plays sweet to gymnasts in this part of the state.

For the 12th year in a row, athletes from Northeast Ohio are expected to dominate the competition when the 39th annual state gymnastics meet is held Friday and Saturday at Hilliard Bradley High.

Whether it is team or individual competition, Northeast Ohio athletes have dominated the sport. Of the 38 previous state team champions, 27 have come from the Northeast. Brecksville-Broadview Heights, the New York Yankees of gymnastics, has won an unprecedented seven state titles in a row and is poised to win a record 11th overall Friday, breaking the record it shares with Magnificat.

The last school not named Brecksville or Magnificat to win the state team title was Upper Arlington in 1995.

Brecksville and Magnificat are not alone in their success. In each of the past two seasons, area schools have swept the top five places in the team race. Every year since 2000, area schools have won at least three of the top five spots. Magnificat has finished second to Brecksville six times since 1994.

The same holds true in three of the four individual competitions. Area gymnasts have won 20 of the past 21 all-around titles, the ultimate goal of every acrobat. Nine of the past 10 champs on the uneven bars and floor exercise have come from Greater Cleveland. Only on the balance beam have area athletes stumbled. Two of the past three state champs on the balance beam have come from Columbus and Beavercreek, near Dayton.

Area gymnasts have won 122 of 190 possible individual state titles since 1973, the first year the state tournament was conducted by the Ohio High School Athletic Association.

"The dominance has been remarkable," said Brecksville coach Ron Ganim, whose program owns the state record for the highest winning point total -- 149.9 -- in 2005.

Ganim believes the reason for the dominance can be traced to the club programs.

"The club programs in this part of the state actually encourage their kids to participate in high school gymnastics," he said. "I don't think that's true in Toledo or Columbus or Cincinnati. They just want their kids competing with their respective clubs. Club gymnastics is very competitive and costly for the parents. High school gymnastics is more fun and significantly cheaper. And, high school gymnasts get more recognition."

That recognition is likely to continue Friday and Saturday.

-- Tim Rogers

Hockey

Big surprise:Padua's 4-1 victory on Wednesday against defending state champion St. Ignatiusin the Brooklyn District semifinal came as a huge surprise. The Bruins had lost twice to the Wildcats during the regular season, including a 5-1 loss at Brooklyn on Feb. 5.

They finished the regular season by going 4-8 and failed to make the Baron Cup after finishing 4-8 in the Red North Division of the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League, good for sixth place in the seven-team division.

They had to go into overtime against Brecksville-Broadview Heights in their tournament opener before prevailing, 3-2. The Bruins did win their second-round game, 6-0, against North Olmsted.

Still, at 21-16, they have the most losses of any of the remaining district clubs. However, Padua nearly upset the Wildcats in last year's district final, losing a 2-1 heartbreaker in overtime. It shows what perseverance can do. Padua has made it to the state final four eight times, with three titles and four runner-up finishes. Its last championship was in 2006.

Showdown: Something has to give on Friday night when Shaker Heights and Gilmour Academy meet to determine the Kent District championship. The winner advances to Columbus to meet the winner of Saturday's Padua-St. Edward game in the Brooklyn District finale. The state semifinal takes place March 12 at Nationwide Arena at 3 p.m.

Shaker Heights, with three titles to its credit under 35-year coach Mike Bartley, has not been to Columbus since 2005. The Raiders lost to St. Edward, 2-0, in the title game.

Gilmour's lone appearance in Columbus was in 2008, the Lancers also losing to St. Edward in the final, 3-1.

Big numbers: Three of the four coaches involved in district finals are among the state's biggest winners.

Shaker Heights' Bartley recently became the all-time leader in wins with 588, passing retired Sylvania Northview coach Jim Cooper at 585. Padua coach Doug Hauser has 559 victories to rank third, and Gilmour's John Malloy is fifth at 498.

Retired St. Edward coach Bob Whidden is fourth at 507 victories from 1985 to 2005.

Realignment: There will be some changes in the Greater Cleveland High School Hockey League's divisions next season.

Shaker Heights will move up to the Red North Division, with Walsh Jesuit dropping to the Red South. Also leaving the Red South will be North Olmsted, which will switch places with Rocky Riverin the White West.

There also will be a new configuration of the Blue Divisions into West, East and Central. First-year hockey programs at Avonand Westlakewill have to play another season as independents before admittance to the league.

Good finish:Elyria Catholicsenior forward Kevin Andrews completed his high school career in style. The club's captain had consecutive hat tricks, scoring three goals in an 8-1 victory against Trinityand three in a season-ending loss, 7-4, to St. Ignatius.

He finished with 41 goals -- 14 on power plays -- and 28 assists for the Panthers, who finished 13-19 overall and 2-8 in the Red South Division. He is undecided on his college plans.

-- Joe Maxse

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