The Shelbyville News

Brian Harmon
Staff Writer

INDIANAPOLIS - Hobbled on foot, but not in spirit, Krista Berry's stellar gymnastics career came to a close at the State Finals at Perry Meridian High School Saturday.

The Morristown senior finished 14th on the uneven bars with a 9.350, 25th on the balance beam (8.575) and 34th on the vault (8.950). Berry injured her left foot and ankle in practice Wednesday, and by the time she was due to compete on the floor exercise in her final event Saturday, the foot was too swollen for Berry to continue.

It wasn't a perfect ending for the two-time regional champion and school record holder in every event, but Berry didn't complain.

"Yeah, I would have liked the opportunity to go out there and do (floor exercise), but I'm just excited I made it here," said Berry, in her second straight state finals appearance. "It's my last meet, but I would rather remember the positives from today. I stayed on the beam and I had a good bar routine.

"When I swell, I swell really, really bad. It's a miracle that I got to do anything today."

Not surprisingly, Berry's best performance was on the uneven bars, which required the least use of her foot.

At last year's State Finals, Berry finished 20th on the uneven bars with an 8.825.

"That was probably the bad memory that she took from last year," Morristown coach Dee Ann Myer said. "I told her that she could come out today and take control of that, and she had a super bar routine.

"I don't think there's very many girls that would have done what she did today. I was thrilled."

Fremont's Kayla Heator posted a 9.725 to win the state title on the uneven bars - the only event that Valparaiso's Kellie Kidd didn't win. Kidd captured state championships in the all-around (38.850), vault (9.800), balance beam (9.600) and floor exercise (9.750) to lead the Vikings to their second straight team championship.

Valparaiso (113.575) beat Chesterton (111.500), Roncalli (100.600), Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger (100.500), Hagerstown (100.150), Columbus North (100.150), Fort Wayne Snider (102.700) and Lawrence Central (101.225).




The first-place finish in the 37th annual State Finals gave the Vikings a record seventh team championship, breaking a tie with Homestead. Lorie Cook has been the head coach for each of Valparaiso's championships, including its first title in 1981.

Kidd, a senior, was the defending all-around and balance beam champ, and she became the seventh gymnast in state finals history to win at least six state titles.

Lawrence Central junior Alixandra Richey was second in the all-around (38.450) with a second-place finish on the beam and a fourth-place effort on the vault.

Katelyn Fernandes, a Center Grove senior, was aiming for her fourth straight state title on the vault, but she finished runner-up to Kidd with a 9.775. Fernandes would have been the first gymnast in state finals history to win four straight titles in any event.

Berry won the Columbus East Regional vault championship March 13 with a 9.750, ahead of Hagerstown's Caitlyn Catania (9.600) and Fernandes (9.450).

Catania, a junior, was sixth on the vault (9.575) and fourth in the all-around (37.850) Saturday.