Time to have fun

Casey urges her gymnasts to enjoy tonight’s GMC championship at SBHS

By: Rich Fisher
   There it was on Saturday morning, large as life.
   On the cover of the daily paper’s high school sports section was a huge team picture of the Bishop Ahr gymnastics team, accompanied by a centerfold story about the Trojans phenomenal success.
   Make no mistake. The Trojans have been the dominant team in New Jersey, let alone the Greater Middlesex Conference, this decade. Who better than to get a cover story? Bishop Ahr is seeking its fifth straight GMC title tonight (Thursday), and next month will go after a record-tying fourth straight state crown.
   But rest assured that the gymnasts on South Brunswick, which is one of the few teams that has a chance to give Bishop Ahr a scare, will get a little extra motivation when they go out to perform in their home gym at tonight’s GMC Meet (starting at 6 p.m.).
   "It was a good article, a big picture," Viking coach Erika Casey said with a laugh.
   It’s the kind of article and picture South Brunswick would like to strive for. That’s where the motivation comes in. It’s about respect, not anger or jealousy.
   Besides, gymnastics is not like other sports. Unlike a football team and its bulletin board clippings, gymnasts aren’t going to run out and try to tackle an opponent off the beam. The Vikes won’t come out with fire in their eyes, hooting and hollering.
   Instead, they will try and focus on the job at hand and hope they can either spring an upset, or at least try to prevent a Trojan romp. This has the potential to be the greatest team in the history of SBHS, as it already has broken the school record for team score three times.
   But this is when it really counts, when the stakes are higher. First in the counties, then in sectionals and possibly states. This is when South Brunswick would like to make a name for itself, in the same way Bishop Ahr has.
   Casey feels confident with the lineup she is putting out there tonight.
   "It all depends on the mindset of the girls," the coach said. "My main thing I tell them is ‘Do the best you can do, have fun doing it. If you mess up, you mess up, just hope it’s not your day to mess up.
   "You just have to get it together and do your best. You never know how the scoring will go. I think the lineup I have for these events is a very strong lineup."
   That lineup will have Ellise Kaplowitz and Marisa Liptak doing all around, Shannon Martin and Sarah Caputo on floor, vault and bars, Carissa Macay on bars and beam, Jess Macay on floor and beam, Chrissy Saragnese on vault, and Lisa Bondi and on beam.
   Jess Macay was held out of all-around due to a thumb problem, and her sister Carissa is out of vault and floor due to a knee problem.
   "GMC’s are important, but only the top three scores count and I think our depth is good enough to put those other girls in at the sisters’ spots," Casey said. "Sectionals are very important and we want them to be healthy for that.
   "Lisa Bondi has been solid on beam for us. She can score in the high 8’s, and when she stays on, we’re hoping to get it over a nine."
   The beam has been South Brunswick’s biggest problem this year. Not the skills, but carrying them out, as several wobbles have been costing points.
   Everything has to go right for the Vikings tonight in order to slow down the Trojan juggernaut. Casey feels that by being the host team, it gives the Vikings a slight boost, although the event will be held in the Freshman Gym in order to have all four events going on at once.
   "Equipment-wise, it’s an advantage," the coach said. "But we’re not competing in our usual gym, so its different lighting, the location of the beam is different, the angles will be different. But it’s still definitely good being home.
   "We’ll be paired up with Bishop Ahr and traveling with them throughout the meet. So for us as coaches, we get to keep an eye on how they’re doing. I write all the scores down, if they know it’s a few tenths of a difference, it’s time to buckle down."
   But when it’s all said and done, Casey realizes that if the Vikings win, it would be a big upset. The last thing she wants to do is put pressure on her team.
   "I wouldn’t tell them ‘You have to stay on or you have to hit this to win,’" she said. "You don’t want to put that pressure on one person. I just want them to enjoy themselves, especially the seniors. It’s their last GMC meet. Just go out, have some fun, and see what happens."
   BACKFLIPS: The Vikings broke the school record for team score a third time Tuesday in a 112.525 to 109.1 loss to Hunterdon Central Tuesday. Liptak set the Viking floor record (9.675) and her own all-around record (37.2), while Jess Macay broke the beam record (9.55). "You can see it in these girls that they want it and are going hard for all of the skills," Casey said..