TIGER GYMNAST ALIXIS Williams (right) catches some air on the beam during the MUHS team’s home meet on Friday. Williams placed in several events to lead the MUHS squad. Vergennes Independent Bella Audy (left), who practices with the MUHS gymnastics team, competes on the bars during Friday’s meet.
Independent photos/Steve James

TIGER NINTH-GRADER Lila Hescock reaches high on the beam during the MUHS gymnastics team’s meet on Friday at MUMS.
Independent photo/Steve James

MIDDLEBURY — The Middlebury Union High School gymnastics team finished third behind visiting St. Johnsbury

and Burlington on Friday in a three-team meet, and Coach Natalia Little continues to be pleased with the progress shown by her young team.

“The team is continuing to grow in strength, confidence and skill,” Little wrote in an email in which she noted the team again posted its highest score of the season.

“Each meet they are continuing to get better,” Little said.

St. Johnsbury won the meet by amassing 121.7 points, followed by Burlington (83.12), and the Tigers with 76.4.

Sophomore Alixis Williams once again fared the best individually, with a fourth in the vault her top result. Williams also finished in the top six on the bars, beam, floor exercises and in the all-around competition.

Little said other gymnasts outside of the top six in events also showed improvement. Nataly Johnson reached personal bests on the vault (7.0) and beam (7.2), Emily Johnson posted a personal best on the vault with a 6.3, and Lila Hescock earned a personal best on the beam with a 6.0.

The individual event scores were:

Vault:

1. Lydia Ruggles (St. J) 8.6.
2. Amina Savoury (Burlington) 7.9.
3. Eliska Siebenbrynner (Independent, Danville) 7.8.
4. Alixis Williams (MUHS) 7.5.

MUHS GYMNAST EMILY Johnson launches off the vaulting apparatus during the Tiger team’s home meet at Middlebury Union Middle School this past Friday.
Independent photo/Steve James

Bars:

1. Ruggles (St. J) 8.7.
2. Siebenbrynner (Danville) 6.9.
3. Kasey Haggerty (BHS) & Ailee Stratton (St. J) 6.6.
4. Zoe Glentz Brush (St. J) 6.4.
5. Williams (Middlebury) 4.7.

Alixis Williams

Beam:

1. Ruggles (St. J) 9.65.
2. Ailee Stratton (St. J) 9.35.
3. Siebenbrynner (Danville) 9.3.

TIGER NATALY JOHNSON stretches full-length during her routine on the bar on this past Friday, when the Tiger gymnastics team hosted a meet.
Independent photo/Steve James

Floor:

1. 

   MUHS GYMNAST MADY Richard, a sophomore, strikes a pose on the beam this past Friday during the Tiger gymnastics team’s meet at Middlebury Union Middle School.
   Independent photo/Steve James

   Ruggles (St. J) 8.8.

2. Stratton (St. J 8.0.
3. Haggerty (BHS) 7.50.
4. Glentz Brush (St. J) 7.30.
5. Siebenbrynner (Ind. Danville) 7.05.
6. Alixis Williams (Middlebury) 7.0.

All-around:

1. Ruggles (St. J) 35.75.
2. Stratton (St. J) 31.15.
3. Siebenbrynner (Ind. Danville) 31.05.
4. Glentz Brush (St. J) & Haggerty (Burlington) 30.2.
   1. Alixis Williams (Middlebury) 26.7.