Rebels gymnasts are peaking at right time

It wasn't your typical non-division gymnastics meet. When Howell High School hosted Red Bank Catholic on Thursday, there was a lot on the line. To begin with, both teams were working on undefeated dual meet seasons. To the winner would go the spoils, an unblemished season.

Then there was the matter of Saturday's Shore Conference Championships at Brick Memorial. This dual meet would be a headto head preview for the teams that have won the last two SC crowns (Howell in '06 and RBC in '07).

Howell made a strong case for itself as the solid favorite by pilling up a schoolrecord 111.975 points in beating the visiting Caseys (108.75). Howell, which earlier had won the Shore Conference A North Division title for a third straight year, finished the season at 12-0 with RBC at 12-1.

"Everyone on the team is peaking at the right time," said Howell's all around start Austyn Fobes. "It's perfect timing."

Fobes can include herself among those who are peaking. She scored a 9.90 on the uneven bars, the event she won the state title on last year. Her all around score in the meet was 38.975 (just off her personal best 39.00). Besides the uneven bars, she won the balance beam with a routine that scored 9.725.

Teammate Briana Ecklof is also in top form. She scored a 38.25 in the AA and won the floor exercise (9.775).

Alexa DeCanio, Holly Miller, Meghan Grothues and Monet Masters all contributed to the Howell team scoring.

Three times this year the Rebels broke the school record for points starting at 110.575 then to 111.100 and, finally to Thursday's 111.975.

Just how good this team is top to bottom is reflect in the number of gymnasts on the team who have qualified for the SC and Central Jersey state sectional meet, nine! Besides Fobes, Ecklof, DeCanio, Miller, Masters and Grothues, the trio of Kellie Bresz, Rachel Smith and Kristin Murray have attained qualifying scores for these meets.