On Jan. 27, 2025, the Birmingham Unified Gymnastics team competed against their biggest rival, the Bloomfield Hills High School Gymnastics team. Birmingham Unified came into this meet off of a 129 to 120.225 win against Grosse Pointe North High School.
Birmingham Unified Gymnastics has been going strong for the past few years, consisting of not just Groves students but Seaholm girls, as well. Team spirit erupted in the gymnasium as we walked in to watch the meet. It didn’t matter which school they came from— Groves or Seaholm— they came into this meet ready to cheer for one another and work together as a team. While cheering for their own team, Birmingham Unified Gymnastics also cheered for their opponents despite the competitiveness in the air.
Birmingham Unified first started with vault. They had many high scores among the team members who competed in this event, but the three highest were Seaholm sophomore Allie Lentine, and Groves High School seniors Kaylin Arthur and Avery Olson. The highest of the three was Olson who scored an 8.750. Lentine and Arthur fell just short of her, coming in with scores of 8.600 and 8.400. As each gymnast competed the entire team could be heard yelling their names and standing off to the side to support them when they finished, showcasing how tight-knit and supportive this team is.
Moving onto bars, the team continued strong with the top three resulting in Arthur, Olson and Lentine once again. Arthur and Lentine tied with a score of 8.050 on the bars. Despite a slight hiccup, the team continued to keep the flow and didn’t allow it to discourage them as the meet continued. Olson takes the highest score with an 8.350 and Birmingham Unified Gymnastics continues to extend their fullest support for one another.
Flipping to the next event, Birmingham Unified Gymnastics competed on the beam. Arthur led the scoreboard with a score of 8.150. Sticking her dismount at the end, she put up a great routine. A new team member followed, Groves’ Freshman Marianna Juncaj scored an 8.050. In her routine, Juncaj showcased her power and determination, persevering through any difficulties that she experienced throughout. Lastly, Olson once again came out of this event earning a high score. With a score of 7.850, she demonstrated her ability to be strong in multiple events and showed her ability to bring in high scores to help her team.
The team closed out the meet on the floor with 4 impressive top scores. Starting off strong, with Senior Brandi Rayford scoring an 8.400, she showed her strength and confidence in her routine, leading to a great score. Up next is sophomore Lentine, with a score of 8.650. Lentine impressed the crowd with her incredible routine and overall performance during the meet. After Lentine went Arthur, who achieved a score of 8.725. Her excitement and pride in response to her high score was evident when it was announced. It ended off with Avery Olson, with an outstanding 9.475— an almost perfect score— pushing the team over the edge for the win. An incredible score for the first-year Senior member of the team.
As the overall scores were announced, the crowd erupted with excitement as Birmingham Unified Gymnastics was declared the winner of the meet. The unified team scored a 132.25 against their opponent Bloomfield Hills High School Gymnastics team, who scored 129.725. Their hard work and dedication to the team paid off in the end, and will hopefully result in more success as their season progresses.
