O'Connor heads well-rounded Section IX team

Cydney Crasa - 4-foot-something, a pile of curls on top of her head about 6 inches high - fell off the beam Friday at the Suffolk gymnastics state qualifier. The move was difficult - a roundoff full dismount that started with a handspring and was supposed to end with her contorting her body gracefully as she landed on the mat.

But her foot missed its tiny mark and Crasa, a seventh-grader from Ward Melville, landed on her neck and head. For a moment, the giddy crowd at Mount Sinai High School was quieted. Then she got up, presented herself to the judges, smiled widely, and did it again.

Crasa earned an 8.65 on beam. Later she earned a 9.45 on floor and a tournament-high 9.625 on vault for a 36.375 total and the final all-around spot on the state tournament team.

"It hurt a little," she said, agreeing that her hair may have broken her fall. "But I knew that were my strongest events. Everyone was around me saying, 'you got this.' "

If there was a theme Friday night, a persona that the Section IX team can take to states, it was resilience. Leading them is Bay Shore's Olivia O'Connor, a gymnast whose biggest fight seems to be against the laws of physics. O'Connor notched a 38.100 thanks to a spotless bar routine including two giants into a high-flying double-back dismount.

In second was Commack's Alyssa Burns (36.575). Burns, a senior making her third trip to states, said she was impressed. In addition to the top three spots and an alternate, there were three specialists and an alternate selected for each event.

"This team will do really well," she said, ticking off her teammates' attributes. "Sarah [Peters] is one of the most talented, athletic gymnasts I've ever seen."

Smithtown's Peters, who finished third on floor in last year's state tournament, tied Crasa with a 36.375 and, due to Crasa's high vault score, was named alternate. Physically weak from the flu, Peters fought through for a tournament-high 9.45 on beam. She seemed to steel herself before every event, all but gritting her teeth during bar warm-ups.

Peters finished with what she deemed a frustrating 9.2 on floor, the weeks of sickness taking its toll. "Everything drains out of you" when something doesn't go right," she said. "It's disappointing." Disappointing, yes, but based on Friday's performances, certainly not defeating.