Burns does the little thing that leads to Commack's title
Alyssa Burns of Commack, right, gets congratulated by teammate Michelle Mangini after Burns finished her uneven bars routine. Burns scored a 9.35 in the event and led Commack to victory during the Suffolk girls gymnastics team championships in Kings Park. (Nov. 9, 2010) Credit: James Escher
Forget for a moment what did happen at yesterday's Suffolk gymnastics championship - namely, that one team defeated five others to become county champ - and, instead, consider what didn't.
Commack's Alyssa Burns didn't stick with her decision to forego a second vault for fear of watering down her original score of 9.05. Her teammate, Shannon VonBraunsberg, didn't stumble off the beam after teetering on its edge. Sabrina Hersey didn't take it easy one day after being cleared from an injury that sidelined her for more than three weeks. And Kings Park didn't complete that one minuscule movement, a straightened leg or pointed toe, that could have made the difference.
These are the things that didn't happen that led to the big thing that did: Commack defeated second-place Kings Park, 168.825-168.775 - a differential of .05 - to win the county title for the second straight year. It was the closest known margin of victory in the event's 50-plus year history, according to officials. Smithtown was third (165.775) despite losing all-around Sarah Peters to illness.
"It's just that one pointed toe," Burns said. In her case, it was just that one bit of advice from coach Cindy Greenberg. Burns, Commack's final competitor on its final event - the vault - completed her Yurchenko tuck and, fearful of bringing down her score, wanted to stay put. Her coach told her to take another shot. "Cindy told me to," she said. "It was all her."
So Burns took off. "I started farther back. I wasn't as crooked going on the vault - I got higher," she said. She notched a 9.15 and her average was just slightly higher for it - five-hundredths, to be exact.
Earlier, VonBraunsberg's tenacious beam routine earned an 8.225, the second-highest Commack score, and she later chipped in a 9.30 on floor. And yet, even with Commack's seniors doing what they did best, it wouldn't have been enough without a strong supporting crew and, of course, Hersey's return.
Hersey, whose subluxed right knee and strained ankle ligaments made her one of eight Commack gymnasts to go down with injury this year, was cleared Monday and immediately added to the rotation. "I didn't think it would be possible," she said. "I trained until 8:30 p.m. [Monday]." She earned an 8.30 on bars and a 9.00 on floor and the chance to celebrate with her teammates.
"What is point zero five?" VonBraunsberg asked, as if pondering one of life's great philosophical questions. "It's a fully turn. It's having your leg straight."
Yesterday, it was the many things that didn't happen and the five-hundredth of a thing that did.
