The varsity girls’ gymnastics team will return to the Acton-Boxboro gym on Feb. 4, but this time with a little swagger. When they walk into the gym for the Dual County League Championship meet, they won’t be embarrassed to see the banners hanging on the walls.
South stripped A-B of another league title with a 133.45-131.7 victory on Tuesday in Acton-Boxboro’s gym, clinching sole possession of first place in the DCL for the first time in history. South had previously tied A-B for first place in 2007. In addition, South’s victory was the first ever on the road against A-B.
After securing the league title, freshman Kyra Visnick was stunned. “I was like, ‘I can’t believe we just did that,’” Visnick said.
"It's a tremendous accomplishment," Athletic Director Scott Perrin said. "The manner in which they [won] — traveling to [A-B] is incredible."
The team’s first meet against A-B this season was a narrow 130.85-130.6 victory over the visiting Colonials. “We were lucky,” Kyra’s sister, senior and co-captain Cora Visnick said. “I knew that if we were going to beat them again we were going to have to be in tip-top condition.”
Their 133.45 score for the girls was the highest for them this season. This score was five points higher than their first of the season, in which the team beat Brookline 128.85-113.7 on Dec. 15. “They’ve really kept working hard to improve their skills,” head coach Greg Beaupre said.
The Lions (5-0 DCL, 7-1 overall) have one remaining meet against Arlington before the DCL championship meet Feb. 4.
Beaupre attributes the success of the team to their intense practices. “[The girls] just come to practice and work hard every day,” Beaupre said. “Everyone just builds off of [the practices].”
Beaupre, however, limits the time that his team spends in the gym during the week. “I think that they key for us is that too much gym time, in this sport at least, leads to less productive success,” he said.
The team showed strong performances all around, but the Visnick sisters were the top two performers Tuesday night. "With a team like A-B, we have good kids, they have good kids, but what has been able to put us ahead of them is our depth," Beaupre said.
Beaupre's practice schedule, though unique, has helped the team stay injury-free, unlike A-B and Westford Academy. "[Beaupre] is a tremendous asset to the entire athletic program," Perrin said.
Though the Visnick sisters posted the top two scores on Tuesday, a team effort propelled the girls to the victory. “It's really about the team," Perrin said. "They are a great group of kids. They fought hard together, and they are deserve this 100 percent."
