This past weekend, Etowah hosted its first ever region gymnastics meet. In only its fourth year of existence, the Girls’ Varsity Gymnastics team scored its highest team score ever with a score of 105.95.  

“I’ve never seen a team fight so hard for landings and support each other so much in my life. I am still so happy about it two days later because it’s so nice knowing in my last year we have set a high standard, and I can’t wait for the future gymnasts to strive to beat what we left behind. It’s just going to keep getting better,” Alexis Neuhoff, senior captain, said.  

With seven teams in total registered into the competition, Etowah placed on top in all four divisions. Jayden Rutledge, freshman, finished in first place for all four events.  

“I was so excited and very honored that I could be part of such a great team and represent Etowah,” Rutledge said.  

The team is comprised of 8 girls: senior Alexis Neuhoff; juniors Kristin Dyson, Valeria Larrotta, and Rachel Ransom; and freshmen Ashytn Pribbenow, Jayden Rutledge, Molly Froman, and Aneisa Jones. Each girl competed on vault, bars, beam, or floor.  

“It’s such an incredible feeling to be surrounded by your best friends, competing in your own school for the first time ever, and then being announced as the winner of the entire competition. We’ve been working for this moment for years, and all our hard work paid off on Friday,” Dyson said.  

Every Wednesday, the girls run through each of the routines, then Jessica Sprecher, head coach, chooses who she thinks will do best in each event and who is the most consistent. Come support the team at its next meet Mar. 10 at Buford High School.