Caseys aiming for top spot at MOC gymnastics meet
BY DOUG McKENZIE Staff Writer
After missing out on the Meet of Champions gymnastics team title last year by just 4/10ths of a point, the Red Bank Catholic girls are poised to take another shot at capturing the state's ultimate prize this Saturday.

ANDREW MILLER staff Above, Red Bank Catholic's Brooke Grohol and Kristin Cahn perform on the balance beam during the Central Jersey State Sectional Gymnastics meet at Manalapan High School last Saturday. The Caseys won their fifth sectional title in the last seven years, guaranteeing them a spot in Saturday's Meet of Champions.

RBC is enjoying another stellar season under head coach Maureen Sutphen, and has already claimed its share of championships this fall. But the Caseys want more, namely the MOC title, and they have every reason to be optimistic heading into Saturday's competition at Hunterdon Central High School.

"I really do think we have a shot," Sutphen said. "We've had a great year, winning the Shore Conference and the sectional and going 11-0 (for the second consecutive year)."

While the Caseys are certainly among the favorites on Saturday, they will need to be nearly perfect to complete the championship trifecta.

"From what I've seen from watching the scores all year, it looks like Hillsborough is very good, and we always have to worry about Bishop Ahr," Sutphen said. "But I think we can do it, if the girls stick to their routines.

We only lost by 4/10ths of a point (to Bishop Ahr) last year and the girls want to win it this time."

So far, the Caseys have responded to every challenge they've faced. After putting together another perfect regular season, RBC captured the Shore Conference meet by defeating defending-champion Howell by the narrowest of margins, 108.300 to 108.275. With Howell's Austyn Fobes dominating the individual allaround competition for the second year in the row, it took a team effort from the Caseys to capture the crown. Senior Kristen Cahn was the top point-scorer for RBC, finishing tied for fourth place with Howell's Brianna Ecklof. Junior Brooke Grohol used a strong performance on the bars to earn a sixth-place finish in the AA, while senior Ainsley Keating finished in 12th.

At the NJSIAA Central Jersey I Championships on Saturday in Manalapan, it was Colts Neck that challenged the Caseys for the team title, only to fall short, 111.875 to 109.850.

RBC, which won its fifth sectional title in seven years, used a true team effort to capture the title, led by Grohol, Cahn and Keating once again, who combined for 10 medals on the day.

More importantly, the win guaranteed the Caseys a spot in this Saturday's MOC.

"There was a lot of talk about Howell and Colts Neck coming into the year, and we were a little nervous losing such a great gymnast like Beatte Jones (to graduation)," Sutphen said. "It's tough losing someone like her, but we knew we had a lot more than just Beatte. This is a young team, but we seem to be very fortunate to have good gymnasts keep coming up every year to fill the voids left by graduation."

With senior Lauren Gillespie and sophomore Michelle Fischer, the other two gymnasts who will compete on Saturday, the Caseys hope to excel based on their depth once again.

"We've got five quality all-around gymnasts competing on Saturday, and if one has a bad day, any one of the others is there to pick up the slack," Sutphen said. "I've just been very blessed to have such talented gymnasts here in my seven years."

Sutphen is also quick to praise the remaining team members - including sophomore Catherine Oliver, senior Staci Fontes and Lindsay Kapuscienski, junior Erin Shields, and promising freshmen newcomers Alicia Meehan and Kristine Platas - with adding to the team's depth.

But this Saturday, it's all about the five girls who will look to bring home another championship to RBC.

"The girls are psyched, and they're peaking at the right time," Sutphen said. "Everything came together in time for the Shore Conference meet, and it got even better in the state meet. And we're healthy going into (Saturday)."

All things point to the Caseys making another run at the state's ultimate prize.