Fast start for South Side

Posted

After coming up a little short in its first meet under new coach Ashley Harney, South Side’s gymnastics team has reeled off four consecutive victories including a 153.45-150.8 decision over Conference I rival Long Beach last Friday night.

Eighth-graders Sydney Brancaccio and Jewels Diaks scored 8.05 and 7.2 on the balance beam and uneven bars, respectively, and seventh-grader Payton Waller added a 7.1 on bars in her first-ever varsity meet to lead the way for the Lady Cyclones, who boast a roster of 22 gymnasts.

“I took over a team that’s very skilled,” Harney said. “It’s very exciting. We’re close to averaging in the mid-150s so far after they averaged in the 140s last season.”

Harney said she dealt with some opening-night jitters on Dec. 22 when South Side hosted Wantagh, but the Lady Cyclones have made her transition from a club coach in Commack to leading a high school program a smooth one. Harney said having an experienced assistant coach like Kristen Ehrling has been a big plus, too. “Everything took a little getting used to,” Harney said. 

Getting Waller into the lineup, the coach said, will only add to the team’s scoring average. One of more than a dozen club gymnasts on the roster, Waller missed the first four meets while recovering from injuries to several fingers. “I don’t think she had any nerves at all,” Harney said. “She was just ready to go. She’s not bothered by competition. She embraces it.” After competing on bars and beam against Long Beach, Waller is expected to perform all four events at times over the final five meets.

Junior Katie Rosshirt is off to a strong start this season and has already reached the state qualifier meet score on floor exercise. She averaged 8.675 over the first five meets and opened with an 8.85 versus Wantagh. “Her floor is very entertaining and she’s close to reaching the state qualifier score on vault,” Harney said of Rosshirt, who also contributes on bars and is working hard to meet all the requirements to boost her score.

Diaks is headed to the state qualifier on bars, averaging a 7.075, and is a strong tumbler who’s consistent on floor and scored an 8.4 on beam at Wantagh.

Erin Agoglia, another eighth-grader, averages 9.0 on floor and reached that number in South Side’s biggest win so far, a 153.65-147.10 over Bethpage on Jan. 10. According to Harney, it was the first time the Lady Cyclones topped Bethpage in 18 years. Senior Emily Edwards, with an 8.4 on beam, and Brancaccio (8.2) also came up big against Bethpage.

Vault is junior Sydney Abate’s best event. She’s averaging 8.15, thanks in large part to a fast approach and powerful front handspring, the coach noted. Senior Kiera MacAneney has posted solid scores on beam, while seventh-grader Emily Lauro has posted solid scores in three events.

Only one of South Side’s last five meets takes place at home. That’s Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. versus Great Neck South.