OHSAA gymnastics: Dublin Jerome's Raegan Ernst captures state all-around title
Considering she doesn’t consider the uneven bars to be her best event, Dublin Jerome senior Raegan Ernst was pleasantly surprised when it was announced that she had finished first March 5 at Hilliard Bradley.
A few minutes later, as the final all-around scores were being announced, Ernst started tabulating the scores in her head.
“When they said 37.5 (as the third-place all-around score), I knew if I won it was only going to be by about half a tenth of a point, so I was nervous,” Ernst said.
Ernst, with a score of 37.6, was the final name to be called, giving the Celtics their first state all-around champion.
It also was just the fourth all-around title won by a Central District competitor in the 50-year history of the state meet.
State team meet: Olentangy Berlin ties for sixth, Dublin Jerome finishes 10th
Ernst's 9.475 on bars enabled her to become just the fourth gymnast from the Dublin school district to win an individual state event and the first since 1978.
In addition, she tied for fourth on balance beam (9.325), tied for eighth on vault (9.325) and was third on floor exercise (9.475), which was the final event of her prep career.
According to coach Kristen Willms, Ernst was the all-around champion at every Jerome meet this season.
A four-time state all-around qualifier, Ernst will compete in track and field at Dayton. She won her fourth consecutive district all-around title Feb. 26 at Worthington Kilbourne.
“I was really nervous (on floor) because I didn’t want to fall on my last routine ever,” Ernst said. “It was definitely my best states, not even close. My coaches said go out there and have fun and that’s all I did.”
Olentangy Orange sophomore Jade Gerhard finished as state runner-up on bars (9.3) and Olentangy Berlin freshman Tia Estrada placed sixth on bars (9.175) as the top six secured spots on the awards podium.
Gerhard, who competed at the prep level for the first time this season, also was 12th on vault (9.3) and tied for 16th in the all-around (35.925).
“I added a double-back dismount to up my difficulty (on bars),” she said. “I liked the environment of high school. It felt good.”
Estrada competed in one event a day after helping the Bears finish an area-best sixth in the team competition.
“I had a pretty strong bar routine,” she said. “It wasn’t the best I’ve done all season but it was pretty good, and it feels amazing (to place at state).”
Berlin junior Stephanie Balthaser was the area’s second-best all-around finisher, placing 10th (36.2).
Hilliard Darby senior Anne Hassay, who made it to state in the all-around as a freshman but not the past two seasons, was 12th all-around (36.125) and tied for 10th on floor (9.25).
“It was a lot better than the last time (I was at state in the all-around),” Hassay said. “I’m really happy with how I did. I’m a senior so it was good to come back (to state). I really hit all of my routines.”
Others who came close to making the podium were Berlin sophomore Alexandra Downing, who was ninth on floor (9.325), and Darby sophomore Abby Killilea, who placed 12th on bars (9.05).
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Here’s Ernst’s bars routine from today. pic.twitter.com/i3rdSHCt5S
— Frank DiRenna (@ThisWeekFrank) March 6, 2022
This article originally appeared on ThisWeek: OHSAA gymnastics: Jerome's Ernst wins state all-around title
