LOVELAND — It wasn’t exactly the way Hannah Bower expected to start her run at her unprescedented fourth Class 5A all-around gymnastics title.
Earlier this month at a camp, a faulty landing caused the Loveland senior to roll both ankles, resulting in broken left and a sprained right ankle. Nonetheless the quest for four will still be on, albeit four to six weeks later than expected.
State history rests in the hands of Bauer’s chiropractor, physical therapist and her most importantly her doctor who can give the the green light to get back to it.
“This is something that has been a goal of mine,” said Bower, from the physical therapists office. “We’ll see how this goes, and right now we just have to take it step by step.”
As it stands, both Bower and Steamboat Springs Marilyn Price (from 1976-78) are the only three time all-around champions in state history. In addition to her victories in the all-around competition, Bower will also hope to defend her title on both the vault and balance beam.
Injuries are common place in the sport, and Bower has had more than her fair share of bumps and bruises throughout her career. It still doesn’t make it any easier when has to go back out and compete one last time for the Indians this season.
“Of course you worry about it and it always in the back of you mind, but right now I’m not worrying, I’m just more stressed out about coming back strong and being able to get that consistency,” said Bower, who has a trip planned to Penn State after the season. “I’m just going to stay positive and not put that extra stress on myself by thinking about it.
“If I think about doing what I’ve always done, then that takes a lot of pressure of me.”
Two-time defending Class 4A all-around champion Anna Simmons of Mountain Range and her Mustangs teammates moved up to 5A this season, but the rumors are swirling that Simmons may opt to just compete for her club team and not for her school.
“I don’t think it’s something that’s crossed Hannah’s mind,” Loveland coach Wendy Thompson said of the possible match-up with Simmons at the state meet at Thornton High School on Oct.31-Nov. 1. “Anna has beat her before, and she knows that that could be a challenge, but right now we are just trying to get through the injury and see where we are at phase.”
The usual suspects team players should be right back in the mix come tournament time. Defending champion Bear Creek (Kaitlyn Olson), Green Mountain (Alie Bowen and Kelly Stone) as well as Fort Collins (Michelle Tharp) all figureto be in the team race.
With the departure of Mountain Range, the 14 teams left in Class 4A gymnastics will be headed up by last year’s runners-up from Pueblo Central. The Wildcats’ Tera Sisson won the all-around title as a freshman, before Simmons won her two, has been relegated to the second place in 2006 and 07.
CLASS 5A TOP 3
1. Bear Creek, 2. Green Mountain, 3. Fort Collins.
CLASS 4A TOP 3
1. Pueblo Central, 2. Sterling, 3. Evergreen.
GYMNASTS TO WATCH (both classsifications)
Alie Bowen, Green Mountain, Sr.; Hannah Bower, Loveland, Sr.; Kelsey Downs, Pueblo Central, Jr.; Jaime Fisk, Mountain Range, Jr.; Allison Griego, Overland, Sr.; Gentry Knaub, Thompson Valley, Sr.; Erin Krause, Sterling, Sr.; Bethel Lindley, Evergreen, Sr.; Sara Moldenhauer, Doherty, Sr.; Kaitlyn Olson, Bear Creek, Sr.; Karin Schwarz, Chatfield, Sr.; Anna Simmons, Mountain Range, Jr.; Tera Sisson, Pueblo Central, Sr.; Kelly Stone, Green Mountain, Sr.; Michelle Tharp, Fort Collins, Jr.
