Kokomo Tribune

 

Nikki McCracken capped her gymnastics career with an 18th-place finish in the all-around at the IHSAA State Finals on Saturday at Indianapolis Perry Meridian. The Western senior scored her highest-ever finish in last of three trips to state. Previously she took 27th as a sophomore and 22nd as a junior.

McCracken scored 9.250 in the vault (26th place), 8.375 on bars (32nd), 8.925 on beam (15th) and 9.325 on the floor (25th) for an all-around score of 35.875.

“She has so much to be proud of for how she participated,” Western coach Margie Lea said. “Her floor routine was beautiful, the tumbling was just fantastic. She went so high. I was standing at the corner and I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, I hope she doesn’t go out of bounds.’ She knew she was giving it her all and that was the last event and she was putting everything she had left into that event and did very, very well.”

Lea thought the competition at state was the best she’s seen in her time at Western, making the performance all the more impressive.

“She started off the meet with vault, had a good vault and scored very well, and for her to have done as well as she did at the very beginning was very good, and then she maintained that endurance through every event,” Lea said. “Then floor was the highlight. I think she was pleased with how she did. She smiled the whole day knowing it was going to be her last meet. [That is] bittersweet, but I think she had a blast.”

Western teammate Casey Herr took 25th on beam with a score of 8.575 despite battling illness and still being sick when she arrived in Indy Friday night.

“I’m just glad Casey was able to perform,” Lea said. “She’s been very sick all week, so sick that she stayed in bed most of the whole day [Friday]. We were hoping and praying she was going to be able to compete and she did and enjoyed herself too. She did real well and I was really pleased with her, and I think she was too.”

Valparaiso’s Kellie Kidd won vault, floor and beam to take the all-around title. Fremont’s Kayla Heator won bars. Kidd was second in that event. Valparaiso won the team title with 113.575, ahead of Chesterton (111.5) and Indianapolis Roncalli was third (110.6).