Mount Si’s gymnastics team closed out their home schedule last Thursday, January 13, with a mixed result in their four-way meet with Lake Washington, Sammamish and Olympia. While the Wildcats finished second overall, the result still counted as a win since Mount Si beat both of their league rivals Kangs and Totems. The Wildcats scored 152.5 to Sammamish’s 132.85 and Lake Washington’s 128.5. Olympia, a 4A foe out of the Narrows League, scored 154.05 to take the overall meet crown.

Mount Si coach Jessica Easthope said the team is still a work in progress. “We’ve got a lot to work on. It’s about peaking at the right time. I think we’re looking strong and I think we’ll get there,” Easthope said.

It was senior night for the Wildcats, and their two seniors did not disappoint. Kennedy Richmond finished fourth on the all-around (31.05). Richmond had solid results on three of four events; she, however, scored a low 5.2 on the bars. Richmond attempted a turn on the high bar, known as a “giant”, twice but failed to convert either opportunity, costing her points with the judges. She rebounded, though, with huge scores on both the beam and floor. Her 9.5 on the floor was the high score in that event and helped propel Mount Si to their league victory over the Totems and Kangs. Kennedy Richmond will miss being a part of the team. “I really love the coaches. I really love the girls. It’s really fun. We just really have a good time,” Kennedy Richmond said.

Richmond’s fellow senior, Tandi Duvall, also had a good night, with a 7.55 on the vault keying her performance.

Sophomore – and Kennedy’s sister – Hannah Richmond was the story of the meet for the Wildcats, as she won the all-around competition with a score of 32.5. The younger Richmond tied for first on the bars with two Olympia gymnasts, Andrea Clarke and Sarah Brusselback, all of whom scored 7.1, then proceeded to pound down a 9.0 on the floor, which earned her a tie for fourth in that event. Hannah Richmond was thrilled. “It was a good meet for me. It was really fun,” she said.

Mount Si freshman Carissa Castagno took the vault crown, scoring an 8.4. She had a good night in three of four events to finish 10th in the all-around. Beam was the problem spot for Castagno, with a couple of falls and a rough dismount which hurt her score in that event, which she scored 5.9.

Other bright spots for the Wildcats included Katy Crowley, who tied for seventh on the bars (5.9); Jessica Trotto, who was battling injuries and had a solid meet, with top-ten finishes in all events and the all-around, and Brooke Bonner, who had good results on both the floor (8.4, t-7th) and vault (7.75, 9th) to help the Mount Si efforts.