The Seymour gymnastics team had three of the four all-around performers on Monday night when the Owls hosted Bloomington North.

Piper Hawkins was second with 33.2, Grace Lewis third with 31.8 and Nev Cockerham fourth with 30.8

North’s Hope Taylor was first in all-around with a score of 36.3. Taylor also placed first in bars and vault as North defeated Seymour 108.8-98.9. North’s score broke their school record.

“We have a lot more all-arounders than Bloomington has, which is beneficial, but also the girls are spread out through four events instead of focusing on one or two,” Seymour head coach Angie Mellencamp said. “They did great tonight. We had a week off of competition (after Franklin was canceled last week), so just getting back on the floor in front the judges again is always good. We’re gearing up for invite season.”

Hawkins put in a new skill for her floor routine, and she performed it well. This came after Hawkins had a fall on the beam, but was able to regroup and finish it out.

Putting in new skills and performing it for the first time in competition is always a pleasant sight for Mellencamp.

“I really like that Piper tonight put in a new skill on floor that was big,” Mellencamp said. “She had a fall on beam but got back up and made the correction and kept going.”

Hawkins’ teammates were amped up watching her perform her new floor routine as well.

“They all get fired up. They all know how hard it is to put in a new skill. Everyone was really fired up for her,” Mellencamp said. “Lillie (Cote), too, she had a bunch of new jumps that don’t seem necessarily as impressive as the new tumbling skills, but it is a reflection in her score going up tonight.”

Cote was the highest finisher for Seymour in floor in sixth with a 9.15.

“Lillie put in a lot of her bonus on floor tonight, which was reflective in the score,” Mellencamp said.

Mellencamp was also pleased with how Seymour vaulted on Monday. The Owls had four competitors (Marlo Cornn, Cote, Hawkins and Cockerham) in the top 10 in that event.

“All of the girls had great vaults,” Mellencamp said. “It was a good night, but they know what needs to happen in the next four weeks to be ready for sectionals, and that’s really what we’re looking at right now. Getting the skills put in so that they’re ready for the sectional floor.”

The Owls are taking baby steps to implement new skills into each of their routines. It takes time, and Mellencamp doesn’t want to rush it.

Seymour will begin competing in bigger invites in the coming weeks, starting with the Bloomington South Invite this upcoming Saturday.

“From here on out, it’s staying healthy, staying strong and getting the new skills in,” Mellencamp said. “We’re goal-setting as to when we are going to do it. Hopefully they get them in and they’re clean and solid by sectionals.”