For The Tribune

COLUMBUS

The Seymour gymnasts considered themselves a little bit of an underdog for the third and final qualifying spot in Friday’s Columbus East Sectional, so coach Angie Mellencamp mixed up the order of her lineup.

The move paid off.

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The Owls scored 104.375 to finish third, just 1.425 points ahead of fourth-place Owen Valley, to qualify for Saturday’s Connersville Regional.

This will be Seymour’s first time competing at regional as a team since 2013.

“I’m super-excited for this team,” Mellencamp said. “They have had a very long season, and the girls have worked really hard to get to regional. I’m very proud of them.”

Second-ranked Columbus East put up 112.35 points to win its first sectional title since 2001. Co-No. 4 Columbus North finished second with 109.775.

The Owls were led by junior Avery DeHart and senior Kellsye Warner. DeHart finished sixth in the all-around competition with 36.025, while Warner was eighth with 35.475.

Seymour led Owen Valley by just six-tenths of a point going into the final rotation, which was the floor for the Owls and the vault for the Patriots. Warner’s 9.4, DeHart’s 9.375 and Nicole Elmore’s 8.65 gave Seymour a 27.425 on the floor and its berth in the regional.

Warner tied for fourth on the floor, while DeHart took sixth.

DeHart also placed sixth on the vault (8.975) and was seventh on the beam (8.975). Warner took seventh on the bars (8.975) and ninth on the beam (8.7).

“I’m really proud of all the girls that competed today,” Mellencamp said. “They really stepped up to the plate for the team score.”

The regional will begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Spartan Bowl in Connersville.