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Pelham gymnastics wins first state title

Saturday, April, 24 By David Willis

On Valentine’s Day, Pelham gymnastics made history. 

Behind another tremendous performance by star Abby Druding, the Pythons claimed their first New Hampshire team gymnastics championship in program history.

“I don’t think words can describe the feeling we have right now,” said Pelham coach Nicole Rozzi. “It’s overwhelming. To think that Pelham has never won a state team title, it’s amazing what we were able to go out and do it.”

The Pythons earned the victory with 132.75 points, outdistancing runner-up Pinkerton (131.25), the team that edged Pelham for the state title a year ago (136.925-133.250). The memories of 2020 were just one source of motivation for the 2021 champs.

“Last year, coming in second, was pretty devastating,” said Rozzi. “After last year, we had very high hopes for this season. Then COVID hit, and everything kind of shut down. Gymnastics is a year-round sport. To lose two weeks is tough, so to be shut down for months at a time was awful.

“When we came back this year, we kind of played it by ear. But, meet after meet, we kept winning and finished undefeated. At that point, we looked at the girls and said, ‘Lets go get it. Lets win it!’”

The Pythons were led by Druding, the 2020 individual state champion. Druding won the floor exercise, was second in the all-around and vault and third in the bars and beam.

“Abby is such a standout,” said Rozzi. “She puts so much pressure on herself. She had a little mishap in her first vault, but came back and nailed her second one. We tweaked her routine a little during the week, and when we asked how she felt, she said, ‘Amazing!’

“So many girls came through, like Gabrielle Minuti, Alex Chausse and Alison Hardy. They were huge contributors.”

Pinkerton took second, let by Hana Phaneuf, who was fourth in the floor exercise and sixth in the beam.

Salem (130.975) was third, paced by Lisa Chevaire, who took second in the beam, third in the vault and third in the all-around.

Timberlane was fifth, led by Jenna Mermet, who took fifth in the all-around.

New Hampshire State Meet

Team results: 1. Pelham 132.75, 2. Pinkerton 131.25, 3. Salem 130.975, 4. Bedford 130.35, 5. Timberlane 126.475; 10. Windham 115.125

Top-6 locals:

Vault: 2. Abby Druding (Pel) 9.45, 3. Lisa Chevaire (S) 9.425, 4. Ann Quinn (T) 9.225; Bars: 3. Druding (Pel) 8.55, 4. Gabrielle Minuti (Pel) 8.5, 5. Tina Bjeloglic (Pink) 8.3, 6. Jenna Mermet (T) 8.15; Beam: 2. Chevaire (S) 8.9, 3. Druding (Pel) 8.85, 5. Zoe Demers (Pink) 8.65, 6. Leianna Aiello (S) 8.5, 6. Hana Phaneuf (Pink) 8.5;

Floor: 1. Druding (Pel) 9.525, 2. Chevaire (S) 9.3, 4. Phaneuf (Pink) 9.1, 5. Elisa Bianco (S) 9.05, 6. Alexa Chausse (Pel) 9.0; All-around: 2. Druding (Pel) 36.375, 3. Chevaire (S) 35.525, 5. Mermet (T) 33.675