San Angelo Central senior Madison Vogel won the girls' all-around title for the third time, leading the Lady Cats to their 12th title Friday at the Texas High School Gymnastics State Championships in Rockwall.
The Central boys also had a strong showing by finishing ninth.
The Lady Cats finished with scores of117.525-116.525--234.05,followed by Euless Trinity (117.05-115.825--232.875) and Rockwall (116.775-114.725--231.50).
"We pulled it off," Central girls coach Tony Walker said. "It was pretty intense here today, but we ended up winning by a little over a point. It was a great day for us and I'm very proud of the kids. And the boys had a good day, so yeah, it was great."
In the all-around competition, Vogel's scores were39.35-39.325--78.675. Trinity's Jihra Hill (39.325-39.05--78.375) was second, and Lady Cats freshman Kara Baker (39.175-38.90--78.075) was third.
Vogel was first on uneven bars (9.925-9.875--19.80) and floor (9.85-9.95--19.80). She tied for second on vault (9.775-9.675--19.45) and was second on balance beam (9.80-9.825--19.625).
Baker was second on uneven bars (9.90-9.75--19.65), second on floor ( 9.825-9.925--19.75) and third on beam (9.825-9.725--19.55).
Four Central girls will be competing on event finals Saturday.
In addition to Vogel competing on all four events, Baker (uneven bars, balance beam and floor),Daniella DeLaCruz (beam), and Caroline Steele (bars) also finished in the top 10 to advance to the event finals.
DeLaCruz was seventh on beam (9.675-9.575--19.25), and Steele was fourth on bars (9.775-9.65--19.425).
The Lady Cats really had to fight for this team championship.
"Last year, we were pretty dominating by over three points," Walker said. "This year, some teams got a little better, so yeah, we were pushed by both Rockwall and Trinity, but we pulled it out there at the end.
"We did solid bars and beams and that's what helps. We hit everything today. It was a great day for us. The kids are already talking about how this one was so much more fun because it was so intense and close. They thoroughly enjoyed the competition and made the most of it."
Walker has led the Central girls to state championships in 1989, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. The state meet was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic, but the Lady Cats were declared champions by their scores throughout the season.
The only team with more state titles than the Central girls is Hurst L.D. Bell, which has 21.
On the boys' side, Rockwall scored174.95-162.60--337.55 to finish first.
Dallas Highland Park (172.85-158.15--331.00) was second, followed by Saginaw (170.40-158.30--328.70),Chisholm Trail (165.15-150.10--315.25) and Lakeview Centennial (162.75-148.40--311.15).
Central finished ninth with scores of155.60-139.35--294.95 to slip past District 2-6A rival Odessa Permian (154.65-139.75--294.40).
It was a storybook finish for a Bobcats team that was expected to be in a heavy rebuilding phase.
Simply making it to state would be a heck of an accomplishment for Kern Arrott's group of guys.
"Anything's possible, but at the beginning of this year I knew it was going to be a job for us and it was going to take a lot of hard work from the kids and they were going to have to buy in for us to even have a chance," Arrott said.
"I didn't think there was any way in the world we would be where we are. But as the season went on and things started happening, I thought, 'Hey man, this is possible.' The boys just worked so hard and kept getting a little better all the time."
The Bobcats didn't have anybody finish in the top 10 in any of their events, but it was a total team effort to finish in the top 10.
"Those boys worked hard and doing what we did (Thursday) getting a 155.6, that was a little better than what we got at regionals," the Bobcats coach said. "And then today, we had a good day but it wasn't great because we had to count a couple of falls, which cost us 1.2 in our total team score.
"But the guys responded and kept battling. Permian actually edged us out today on optionals, but we were so far ahead of them on compulsory day that they didn't catch us. And we actually beat Round Rock today optionally. We just couldn't beat them enough to move up to eighth because they were so far ahead of us."
Arrott will be leaving the DFW area with a big smile on his face.
"I'm just really proud of the guys," he said. "They were just talking about how it was amazing to do what we did this year to even get here to state, and to place ninth, that was a huge thing."
Ian Hamby, the Bobcats' only senior,turned in Central's top individual performance with a 12th-place finish on rings (9.45-8.55--18.00).
Sophom*ore Logan Kypfer tied for 18th on vault (9.85-8.65--18.50).
Texas High School Gymnastics State Championships
Thursday's and Friday's combined results from the Rockwall High School gym
Note: The top 10 finishers in each event advanced to Saturday's event finals.
GIRLS DIVISION
Team standings -- 1. San Angelo Central, 117.525-116.525--234.05; 2. Euless Trinity, 117.05-115.825--232.875; 3. Rockwall, 116.775-114.725--231.50; 4. Hurst L.D. Bell, 115.925-112.775--228.70; 5. El Paso Bel Air, 115.125-110.75--225.875; 6. Round Rock, 113.675-111.375--225.05; 7. Boswell, 115.125-109.55--224.675; 8. Bryan Rudder, 114.15-110.025--224.175; 9. Dallas Highland Park, 113.95-109.25--223.20; 10. Round Rock Heath, 113.175-107.15--220.325.
All-around -- 1. Madison Vogel, Central, 39.35-39.325--78.675; 2. Jihra Hill, Trinity, 39.325-39.05--78.375; 3. Kara Baker, Central, 39.175-38.90--78.075; 4. Cecilia Paredes, Heath, 38.975-38.80--77.775; 5. Josie Purcell, Rockwall, 38.85-38.875--77.725; 6. Courtney Shaw, Trinity, 39.125-38.55--77.675; 7. Skyla Cruz, Bel Air, 38.10-38.575--76.675; 8. Emma Avery, Rockwall, 38.675-37.70--76.375; 9. Joanna Lian, Bell, 38.65-37.70--76.35; 10. Savannah Hall, Rudder, 38.525-37.675--76.20.
Vault -- 1. Hill, Trinity, 9.775-9.70--19.475; T-2. Vogel, Central, 9.775-9.675--19.45; Paredes, Heath, 9.80-9.65--19.45; 4. Purcell, Rockwall, 9.75-9.65--19.40; 5. Shaw, Trinity, 9.675-9.675--19.35; 6. Kara Abram, Bell, 9.70-9.625--19.325; 7. Alex Schmitt, Rockwall, 9.80-9.50--19.30; 8. Avery, Rockwall, 9.625-9.575--19.20; T-9. Hall, Rudder, 9.625-9.55--19.175; Camille Bohlin, Bell, 9.65-9.525--19.175.
Uneven bars -- 1. Vogel, Central, 9.925-9.875--19.80; 2. Baker, Central, 9.90-9.75--19.65; 3. Hill, Trinity, 9.825-9.80--19.625; 4. Caroline Steele, Central, 9.775-9.65--19.425; 5. Purcell, Rockwall, 9.60-9.775--19.375; 6. Paredes, Heath, 9.75-9.60--19.35; 7. Cruz, Bel Air, 9.75-9.525--19.275; T-8. Ella Rawls, Trinity, 9.70-9.525--19.225; Shaw, Trinity, 9.825-9.40--19.225; 10. Avery, Rockwall, 9.55-9.60--19.15.
Balance beam -- 1. Hill, Trinity, 9.90-9.80--19.70; 2. Vogel, Central, 9.80-9.825--19.625; 3. Baker, Central, 9.825-9.725--19.55; 4. Shaw, Trinity, 9.75-9.725--19.475; 5. Paredes, Heath, 9.70-9.65--19.35; 6. Purcell, Rockwall, 9.70-9.60--19.30; 7. Daniella DeLaCruz, Central, 9.675-9.575--19.25; 8. Hall, Rudder, 9.775-9.45--19.225; 9. Abigail Johnson, Bell, 9.60-9.575--19.175; 10. Cruz, Bel Air, 9.375-9.75--19.125.
Floor exercise -- 1. Vogel, Central, 9.85-9.95--19.80; 2. Baker, Central, 9.825-9.925--19.75; 3. Abram, Bell, 9.875-9.825--19.70; 4. Purcell, Rockwall, 9.80-9.85--19.65; T-5. Shaw, Trinity, 9.875-9.75--19.625; Paredes, Heath, 9.725-9.90--19.625; 7. Morgan Peace, Round Rock, 9.75-9.85--19.60; 8. Hill, Trinity, 9.825-9.75--19.575; T-9. Allyncia Williams, Boswell, 9.90-9.65--19.55; Lian, Bell, 9.80-9.75--19.55.
BOYS DIVISION
Team standings -- 1. Rockwall, 174.95-162.60--337.55; 2. Dallas Highland Park, 172.85-158.15--331.00; 3. Saginaw, 170.40-158.30--328.70; 4. Chisholm Trail, 165.15-150.10--315.25; 5. Lakeview Centennial, 162.75-148.40--311.15; 6. Hurst L.D. Bell, 162.55-144.15--306.70; 7. Round Rock Heath, 161.80-144.05--305.85; 8. Round Rock, 160.30-138-15--298.45; 9. San Angelo Central, 155.60-139.35--294.95; 10. Odessa Permian, 154.65-139.75--294.40.
All-around -- 1. Clayton Staunton, Highland Park, 58.85-56.80--115.65; 2. Trey Lopez, Rockwall, 58.50-54.00--112.50; 3. Will Brackeen, Lubbock, 57.85-51.90--109.75; 4. Austin Chapman, Highland Park, 58.35-51.20--109.55; 5. Caleb Walrond, Saginaw, 57.10-51.70--108.80; 6. Zachary Phillips, Chisholm Trail, 56.65-51.05--107.70; 7. Angel Campos, 56.65-51.05--107.70; 8. Daniel Solis, Centennial, 55.95-50.30--106.25; 9. Tristan Reyna, Cooper, 55.45-49.95--105.40; 10. Joel Dantzler, Abilene, 56.75-48.25--105.00.
Floor exercise -- 1. Staunton, Highland Park, 9.75-9.30--19.05; 2. Diego Aguilar, Hanks, 9.65-9.10--18.75; 3. William Langston, Rockwall, 9.35-9.25--18.60; 4. Lopez, Rockwall, 9.60-8.95--18.55; 5. Chapman, Highland Park, 9.55-8.70--18.25; 6. James Watkins, Rockwall, 9.25-8.90--18.15; 7. Seth Williams, Rockwall, 9.20-8.80--18.00; T-8. Sincere Galindo, Permian, 9.60-8.35--17.95; Brackeen, Lubbock, 9.50-8.45--17.95; Colin Dech, Round Rock, 9.20-8.75--17.95.
Pommel horse -- T-1. Matthew Hafele, Rockwall, 9.60-9.60--19.20; Staunton, Highland Park, 10.00-9.20--19.20; 3. Watkins, Rockwall, 9.80-9.35--19.15; 4. Chapman, 9.45-9.65--19.10; T-5. Sean Earll, Bell, 9.65-9.15--18.80; Solis, Centennial, 9.95-8.85--18.80; 7. Joshua Smelser, Rockwall, 9.65-8.90--18.55; T-8. Lopez, Rockwall, 9.55-8.95--18.50; Tim Plaisance, Saginaw, 9.20-9.30--18.50; 10. Brackeen, Lubbock, 9.75-8.70--18.45.
Still rings -- 1. Staunton, Highland Park, 9.90-9.40--19.30; 2. Lopez, Rockwall, 9.95-9.30--19.25; 3. Early, Saginaw, 19.15; 4. Chapman, Highland Park, 9.90-9.15--19.05; 5. Noah Fishman, Rockwall, 9.70-9.25--18.95; 6. Coyt Huston, Rockwall, 9.80-8.90--18.70; 7. Brackeen, Lubbock, 9.80-8.75--18.55; 8. Gabriel Chase, Saginaw, 9.80-8.70--18.50; 9. Smelser, Rockwall, 9.50-8.90--18.40; T-10. Paul Herrera, Chisholm Trail, 9.40-8.65--18.05; Jadon Trujillo, Bell, 9.25-8.80--18.05.
Vault -- T-1. Langston, Rockwall, 9.75-9.55--19.30; Staunton, Highland Park, 9.70-9.60--19.30; 3. Chapman, Highland Park, 9.90-9.30--19.20; 4. Jirden Ware, Rockwall, 9.95-9.20--19.15; 5. Grant Morgan, Saginaw, 9.60-9.50--19.10; 6. Lopez, Rockwall, 9.70-9.25--18.95; T-7. Phillips, Chisholm Trail, 9.85-9.00--18.85; Lawson Collins, Centennial, 9.70-9.15--18.85; T-9. Reyna, Cooper, 9.35-9.40--18.75; Landry Middleton, Martin, 9.55-9.20--18.75; Williams, Rockwall, 9.85-8.90--18.75.
Parallel bars -- 1. Staunton, Highland Park, 9.80-9.85--19.65; 2. Langston, Rockwall, 9.90-9.35--19.25; 3. Lopez, Rockwall, 9.85-9.05--18.90; 4. Chapman, Highland Park, 9.70-9.10--18.80; 5. Trujillo, Bell, 9.60-9.15--18.75; 6. Campos, Centennial, 9.45-9.25--18.70; 7. Walrond, Saginaw, 9.65-8.85--18.50; 8. Brackeen, Lubbock, 9.40-9.05--18.45; 9. Early, Saginaw, 9.50-8.90--18.40; 10. Phillips, Chisholm Trail, 9.40-8.90--18.30.
Hbar -- 1. Staunton, Highland Park, 9.70-9.45--19.15; 2. Langston, Rockwall, 9.90-8.85--18.75; 3. Lopez, Rockwall, 9.85-8.50--18.35; 4. Walrond, Saginaw, 9.35-8.95--18.30; 5. Morgan, Saginaw, 9.45-8.80--18.25; 6. Brackeen, Lubbock, 9.90-8.10--18.00; 7. Chase, Saginaw, 9.30-8.35--17.65; T-8. Reyna, Cooper, 9.50-8.00--17.50; Herrera, Chisholm Trail, 9.25-8.25--17.50; 10. Garrett Moss, Heath, 9.70-7.75--17.45.
Charles Bryceis a journalist covering sportsin West Texas. Send him a news tip at cbryce@gannett.com. Consider supporting West Texas journalism with a subscription to GoSanAngelo.com.
