Gymnastics: Stone Bridge Captures Third Straight Liberty District Title; Bulldog Senior Severin Wins All-Around

Three straight Liberty gymnastic titles for Stone Bridge
(photo courtesy of Kevin Suter)

Ashburn (Feb. 2, 2011) - Stone Bridge High School, led by a group of seniors that included All-Around winner Tori Severin, recovered from a slow start Monday night and captured the school's third straight AAA Liberty District gymnastics title.

The Bulldogs, after a shaky start on the bars -- a tough event compounded by a lack of practice due to snow days -- recovered nicely on the beam -- where Stone Bridge swept the top four spots on the podium -- and went on to score 140.800 points for the win.

Thomas Jefferson, led in part by Loudoun-based gymnast Caroline Kerr, finished second with 129.025 points to move onto the Northern Region meet next week at Lake Braddock.

Stone Bridge is looking for a top two finish at the regional meet to make States, something the team has just missed the past two years with third place finishes and less than one point each time out of the state bid.

"Their goal is to go to States," said Stone Bridge coach Catherine Morrison, whose team has the experience and talent to pull it off. "We are a senior heavy team with three seniors competing in the All-Around and a fourth senior competing in three of four events."

One of those seniors, Severin, competing in her first meet since a back injury in early January, captured the All-Around, something she hadn't done as the Bulldogs won the previous two team titles, with a 35.525 score, edging TJ's Maris Kataoka (35.225). McLean's Abigail Neuberger (35.025) was third and Stone Bridge sophomore Tricia Grywatch (34.775) was fourth followed by Kerr (34.175).

"Tori did such a great job tonight ... she deserved to win," said Morrison.

For Severin and the other seniors it was an emotional end as they finished up their final every meet at Stone Bridge.

"It is sad. We are going to miss it next year. We have been together since our freshman year and it feels amazing to win three straight titles," said Severin.

Severin won the All-Around with depth as she scored medaled in each event but didn't take first in any of the four disciplines: Kataoka won the vault (9.000), Neuberger won the bars (8.800), Stone Bridge senior Reagan Lashlee and freshman teammate Katie Crawford tied on the beam (9.500) and Stone Bridge senior Amy Fissmer, last year's All-Around champion, captured the floor at 9.425.