MADS Gymnastics Squad Prepping for Sectionals

The Medfield-Ashland-Dover-Sherborn (MADS) gymnastics team has been practicing hard this week for the South Sectionals on Saturday.

Coach Michelle Hopping believes that girls from D-S will have a big impact on whether the team moves on to States.

Dover-Sherborn senior captain Jen Cutler and sophomore Katie McPherson will be the two players competing in all four events - vault, floor dance, balance beam and uneven bars - in Saturday's Sectionals. There will be six individuals for each event and two in the all-around. Four of the top 12 teams will advance.

Cutler has been a leader on the team this season and was chosen as one of 20 senior girls in Massachusetts to represent the state in the Nationals in Ft. Meyers in May. Her teammate Alyssa Dorn was also chosen.

“She is definitely our all-around standout from Dover-Sherborn,” Hopping said of Cutler. “Her strength is definitely balance beam and I believe that was one of the reasons why she was chosen for the National team. She can score anywhere from a 9.2 to a 9.5 in that event when she’s solid.”

Hopping said the Sectionals will be tough but it all comes down to execution on the day of the meet.

“This season the South is extremely strong. We were seeded seventh so we’re in the second bracket, which is a good place to be. But the top four teams right now are scoring three or four points higher in their team scores right now so as long as we hit it’s anybody’s game at this point,” she said.

“I think we have a chance if we all pull it together,” Cutler said. “I think we can do it, so we’ll see.”

She said the team's versatility is a major strength.

“I guess for our team we struggle a lot with vault. I think that’s one that we need to work on a lot, and beam. But I think overall we have a lot of depth,” Cutler said. “I think that’s what makes us a really strong team.”

Despite injuries throughout the season the team went 5-2 this season.

“It’s going really good. I think before everyone started getting injured we were a really strong team and it’s been hard but we’ve managed with our top girl being out,” McPherson said.

The South Sectionals will take place on Saturday at Hudson High School beginning at 4:00 p.m.

“The more support we have the better it would be because we’re having a great season and we could really make it to States this year,” Cutler said. “I think we have a shot this year but we’ll see.”