By Justin Feil, Contributor
Cindy Liu contributed a year ago for the Hillsborough High School gymnastics team, but not as much as she does now.
The sophomore was the Raiders’ top finisher, fourth overall in the all-around with 36.425 points, to help her team win its third straight Somerset County Championship.
“This was big for us,” she said. “It gives us some more confidence.”
Cindy is part of the new look for the Raiders, who graduated their top two all-around performers from a year ago, Sarah Pallay and Natalie Onderko, and have had to fill in the gaps with younger, less experienced gymnasts.
The county meet was their first big test, and Hillsborough’s 109.6 points distanced themselves from runner-up Watchung Hills, which scored 108.875.
“At counties, we started on beam which I think is a tough rotation,” head coach Beth Murrin said. “It was also really the first championship meet with this younger crew that now has to be major contributors.”
Though she said the team discussed the rotation and understood how difficult it was, Ms. Murrin said the team fought through adversity throughout the event.
“We didn’t hit beam as well as we would have liked to, but rest of the night was good. Floor was our best effort of the year at that point and bars was a complete highlight. That was our last event that we competed,” she said. “We felt that’s where brought the championship home.”
Cindy was second on the beam with a 9.275, sixth on bars with 9.075 and seventh on floor with 9.15.
“Cindy competed in all-around in a championship like that for the first time,” Ms. Murrin said. “I thought she handled that very, very well. She was just very consistent that night.”
Kira Solt, one of only two seniors on the team along with Lauren Tran, wasn’t far behind in fifth in the all-around with 36.15. She won the vault with a 9.4, took third on floor with a 9.325 and came in fifth on bars with a 9.125.
“(Kira) recouped and had a great last three events. She won vault. That was her first title so that was exciting,” the coach said.
Stella Pashaian and Samantha Ringel also came up big for the Raiders. Ringel is a freshman who saw her first county meet.
“Sam Ringel had a very good meet,” Ms. Murrin said. “She competed three events for us. She fell on beam, but was very good otherwise and still got a 9 even with a fall. She did very well on both bars and floor. She led us in scoring on bars. And floor, she was our second scorer.”
Another competitor who stood was Jordyn Bell, Ms. Murrin said.
Cindy came in with a strong background that was built up from competing outside of school first for DC Gymnastics and now for Paramount Gymnastics. This year, her role for the high school team is increased.
“Last year, she got to take it all in,” Ms. Murrin said. “She really was counted on for us on beam as a contributor and scorer and that was kind of it. You get to sit back and learn the other stuff. You kept pushing and try to break into some of those lineups. She was an all-around qualifier for sectionals and actually came very close to the individual score for states.”
It’s another big week for the Raiders. They won their Senior Night meet over rival Watchung Hills (109.75-107.925) on Tuesday to improve to 9-0.
“The meet went very well,” Ms. Murrin said. “If (Watchung) hit, it would have been a much closer meet, but they had some bar and beam issues. And our beam was OK, we still aren’t hitting as much as I’d like to, but we hit two routines and we still had an overall decent night.”
Hillsborough will compete at Montgomery High on Friday in the Skyland Conference Championships, which includes the same teams at the county meet plus Hunterdon Central. Watchung again will be their toughest competition, and Hillsborough is hoping the conference meet will give them a chance to improve on their county showing.
“I’m not adding anything,” Cindy said. “I’m trying to get more consistent with my routines.”
The competition is another chance for Hillsborough to gear up for the state tournaments. Sectionals begin in two weeks, and the young Raiders are finding their roles and learning how to handle the excitement and nerves of the big meets.
