Mt. Hope gymnasts qualify for states, coaches invitational

Huskies celebrate their lone senior before the meet

Story and photos by Richard W. Dionne, Jr.
Posted 2/13/23

Mt. Hope junior gymnast Caroline Nash qualified for states and junior Avery Furtado, Madeleine St. Pierre and Isabella Brando qualified for the coaches invitational tournament during their meet …

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Mt. Hope gymnasts qualify for states, coaches invitational

Huskies celebrate their lone senior before the meet

Posted

Mt. Hope junior gymnast Caroline Nash qualified for states and junior Avery Furtado, Madeleine St. Pierre and Isabella Brando qualified for the coaches invitational tournament during their meet against Rogers and Chariho on Saturday night. Mt. Hope beat Rogers, but fell to Chariho, in their final match of the season at Strive Gymnastics in Somerset. The Huskies scored 120. 65 as a team, Rogers scored 93.1 and Chariho scored 130.7. The Huskies wrapped up their season with a record of 4-10. 

Caroline Nash qualified with a terrific all around score of 33.85 and a score of 7.85 on bars. The junior scored an 8.65 on vault, an 8.65 on beam and an 8.70 on floor. She’ll compete at the state gymnastics championship at RIC on Saturday at noon. 

The junior said that her best events are floor and beam. “I’m very consistent on floor,” she said. “I have been working on a new skill. I’ve been working halves now. It’s helped me improve my score. On beam I’ve been working on back hand springs, back walk overs and a switch leap-wolf-half.”

Avery Furtado scored a 31.15 in all around with a score of 8.2 on vault, 6.80 on bars, 8.05 on beam and an 8.10 on floor. Her scores qualified her to compete at the coaches invitational meet on Sunday. Furtado said that her best event is beam.

“I’m pretty consistent and I stick all of my routines,” she said. “I perform round offs, and for my jump series I perform a wolf-tuck-three quarter and a wolf-jump-split quarter.”

Madeleine St. Pierre and Isabella Brando also qualified to compete in the coaches invitational. St. Pierre scored a 28.05 in all around, with a score of 7.9 on vault, 4.85 on bars, 7.5 on beam and a 7.80 on floor. 

Brando scored an 8.15 on vault, 7.0 on beam and a 7.95 on floor and will compete in those events on Sunday.

 

Huskies celebrate lone senior, Pereira 

Before the meet, the Huskies celebrated their only senior, Thalyta Pereira. Head coach Nicole Daniello handed out flowers to Rogers’ and Chariho’s seniors before giving Pereira flowers, a gift including a new tiara and wand and a hug. Pereira, a native of Brazil, was new to gymnastics when she joined the team as a sophomore. 

“It was during Covid and I didn’t really have a lot of friends,” Pereira said. “At the time I didn’t know English. Someone suggested that I participate in something and gymnastics was the closest to dance. I started crying on the first day because I couldn’t understand anything, but Coach Nicole was really nice. She welcomed me and taught me everything, cause I really didn’t know anything about gymnastics.”

Pereira a dancer took to floor and competed in the event during the Huskies’ meets this season. The senior competed on beam for the first time during Saturday’s meet. 

“It was really hard,” she said. “I’m kind of afraid of heights.” 

“She’s learned all of the basic skills,” said Coach Daniello. “It’s been impressive, how well she’s done. She’s been a big part of the team.” 

Pereira is also an outstanding student at Mt. Hope and is looking at schools to study pre-med.

 

Experienced captains 

Captains Nash and Furtado did an excellent job helping Coach Daniello develop the younger gymnasts this season. The junior captains have an abundance of championship experience as they helped to win the Division I championship in 2020 as freshmen and the Region I championship in 2021 as sophomores.  

“The girls have really worked hard this season,” said Nash. “And have gotten a lot of new skills.” 

Furtado agreed, “We have improved a lot this season. Every meet we’ve gotten better and better. 

The rebuilding Huskies have found a trio of young gymnasts in Brando, St. Pierre, Daniello, Lila Maloney and Cassidy Areia. 

“Our freshmen Bella, Cassidy and Gabby have done a really good job this season. They have gotten a bunch of new skills,” said Nash. “Some meets when they get to compete, they stick their routines and it’s gorgeous.”

“Our scores have gotten better as the season has gone on,” said Furtado. “I am really looking forward to next year. We have a lot of new girls coming onto the team who are pretty good.”

 

More scores

Thalyta Pereira scored a 5.05 on beam and a 5.90 on floor, Teagan Tucker scored a 4.5 on bars and a 6.95 on floor and Gabby Daniello scored a 3.0 on bars, a 5.3 on beam and a 6.45 on floor. 

 

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