THORNTON — A series of gasps rippled through the Thornton High School gym upon the announcement that Broomfield and Overland gymnastics tied for Class 5A state runner-up on Thursday night.
As far as CHSAA officials knew, that had never happened when trophies were involved. After all, in a sport that measures success down to the thousandth of a point, it was statistically astonishing.
The Eagles, along with the aptly named Trailblazers of OHS, scored a 181.375, trailing just behind state champion Mountain Range, which topped out at 184.425. The Eagles had one last event to thank for their success.
As Broomfield huddled around the uneven bars for the final rotation of its 2023 season, loud and ecstatic cheers erupted from its little corner. Among the most talented of gymnasts at the 5A state meet on Thursday night, the Eagles proved some of the most boisterous as they celebrated in each of their individual performances.
They had been waiting for a breakthrough for months.
“That last bar rotation was so impressive for the girls,” head coach Abby Anderson said. “We’ve been fighting all season to be able to hit a solid six-for-six bar routines, and that’s exactly what they went out and did. They knew going into the last rotation that they were still going to put up a fight, and that’s why we were so excited.”
The performance, during which Broomfield collectively scored a 44.950, helped propel it to yet another team trophy — an extra of which CHSAA will now have to order — after clinching the 5A team title the prior two years.
Senior Mia Ritchie, who returned as the Daily Camera gymnast of the year, medaled in the all-around with a score of 36.625, good for eighth place. She prided herself in that finish after falling during her beam routine, and hopes she can represent the Eagles even better in the individual finals on Saturday.
If history is any indicator, she’s the right woman for the job.
“When I heard third place was Pomona, we were all like, ‘Wait, but what about Overland?’ Then they said a tie and I was like, there’s no way this has ever happened before,” Ritchie said. “They don’t even let you tie for events, usually. It was pretty crazy.
“I’m excited to come back Saturday. I’ve never made it for bars before so that was kind of crazy, hearing my name there.”
No matter where the Eagles finished, however, the night held much more meaning for senior Tori Griffith, who returned after a one-year hiatus to finish out her high school career on the Broomfield mats. She felt the most delight in her bars routine, during which she incorporated a switch kip, back hip circle, giant, giant, and full.
She credited the close-knit team atmosphere that the Eagles have fostered for her return, and couldn’t have asked for a better sendoff.
“I’ve always looked forward to my senior season and the girls were just always such a great community,” Griffith said. “What you saw, that’s all we need. We don’t have friends like that at school, so just being able to come back with all those people is just crazy and fun.
“Abby was saying right before (bars) that we have nothing to lose, so just give it all you got. Going into it, knowing that this was going to be, for us seniors, our very last event competing, we just wanted to have so much fun and finish out and do what you can do.”
Even though the Eagles fell short of their aspirations for a third straight team title, Anderson took pride in the fortitude her girls showed through a trying few years, with three different head coaches in as many seasons.
She believes they can come back even stronger for 2024.
“They came out this season not really knowing what to expect, and neither did I as a first-year head coach,” Anderson said. “The meet that they just put on, I couldn’t be more proud of them and more proud of the resilience that they’ve shown all season. Year after year, they come out wanting to fight for a state title and wanting to be contenders and that’s exactly what they showed tonight.”
Kaia Bachrach (ninth, 9.375), Mia Ritchie (11th, 9.35) and Kaya Duncan (12th, 9.325) will all return Saturday for the individual finals in the vault. Avery Kang (seventh, 9.125), Ritchie (eighth, 9.075), Kiera La Hue (12th, 9.000) and Aspen Palillian (14th, 8.900) all qualified in bars.
Kang earned the lone qualification in beam at eighth (9.375), as Ritchie (fifth, 9.550) and Duncan (13th, 9.35) rounded out the top-15 effort in floor.
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