Brady, Raiders qualify for state finals
By Justin Feil, The Packet Group
Always a solid performer, Kristin Brady is in a new spot this year at the top of the Hillsborough High School gymnastics team.
”It’s fun,” said Brady, a Raiders senior. “As a freshman, I always looked up to those older girls who were really good. Now looking back on all my years, I feel really accomplished to be one of those girls.”
Brady had always wanted to be one of the top girls, but never envisioned being the best in the program.
”I didn’t,” she said. “Hard work paid off.”
Brady will have the chance to cap her career at the Meet of Champions after finishing fifth Saturday in the Central Jersey, Section 2 all-around with a 36.775 score. The team portion begins today at Montgomery High School with individual competition continuing Saturday at MHS.
”We want to just be showing a good performance for our last time as a team this year,” Brady said. “Individually, I want to have fun. Have fun and show everything off and do my best.
”In the back of my head, I always feel pressure. Throughout the past couple of weeks and months, I’ve learned to put the pressure aside and do my best. That’s when I do my best, when I’m happy and having fun.”
There was plenty of reason to be happy after the Raiders placed third at the Central Jersey, Section 2 meet to earn one of the five at-large berths to the state final. Hillsborough’s 109.225 score was behind just winner Hunterdon Central and East Brunswick. The Raiders won the sectional a year ago.
”A lot of teams come to sectionals and hope to do well,” said Hillsborough head coach Beth Murrin. “We’ve done it every year so it’s not normally a stressor, but I think this year it felt more like one. We’ve been a little inconsistent, and had some kids in and out. And with a little tougher judging system, we felt a little more pressure. The thing I asked them to do was to keep fighting through it.”
Rachel Pallay also advanced as an individual for the state all-around as she scored 36.4. Pallay will be one of the top competitors for the vault final after scoring 9.6 for third place in the sectional. Brady was fifth on vault at 9.45, her best score of the season.
”Moving in the big gym was good for me,” Brady said of Hillsborough’s sectional location. “I need some more runway.
”It was my last event and I only did one and I stood it up and that was it. I was really nervous. That was different for me.”
Brady tied for fourth on uneven bars with a 9.25. Pallay tied for second on floor with 9.5.
”Individually, I’m happy for those kids,” Murrin said. “Kristin had her season high on vault. That’s how she finished her day. She had a consistent day today. It might be close to her season high in all-around.
”For Rachel, it was a little different story. The bars didn’t go as planned. She had a couple errors. In an event you know you’re capable of scoring well in, that’s a tough start. Then she had a fall in beam. She had two events done and had two major errors, but she fought back. She got a 9.5 on floor and 9.6 on vault. She fought through those early errors to get good scores and make it through to states.”
The Raiders mirrored that as a team. They started slowly, but finished strong to secure another berth in the state final.
”We definitely want to keep it a tradition,” Brady said. “The competition gets tougher and tougher. And the girls are so good. We have to keep improving every year and hopefully it’ll work out.”
Brady is no stranger to competing in the state finals. She got that opportunity last year, and is looking forward to one final performance with her high school team before starting the club season.
”Individually, it’s only my second year making it,” Brady said. “For the team, we’ve been going since I was a freshman. As a senior, I thought it would be a great end to the season to go to states one last time.”
This year’s group put together the right pieces to make the Meet of Champions and finish only one point out of first place in the sectional.
”Melissa (MacCollum) was a really steady competitor,” Murrin said. “She has been all year. She’s important on beam, floor and vault. She did a really good job on those. Alexis LoCasto did a great floor routine today. Alyssa Diziki stood out on beam today. Brittany Janssen was our third scorer for us on bars. She stuck on beam. She was solid and composed.
”I’m just proud of them,” she said. “I told them at the end, I’m proud of them for continuing to fight to the end.”
Brady was happy with the way the team performed under the pressure of the sectional. Even though they started slower than they would have liked, Brady wasn’t worried. She felt confident the Raiders could still deliver a strong performance.
”We were really focused on what we had to do,” she said. “We weren’t worried about what anyone else was doing. We had our personal goals. We pushed through and did what we had to do. We were happy we achieved our personal goals.
”I think that’s my second highest score this season. I had little mistakes here and there. I was happy overall and I felt satisfied at the end.”
Brady and the Raiders will have another shot to pull together their best performances for the state final. That last chance is all they need.
”I’m proud of the program for continuing the tradition of going to the top 10 state finals,” Murrin said. “There was a point where I was not sure we were making it. We were not on track to make 108 at the halfway point, but we pulled it out. I’m proud of them.”