After some strong performances at the Region III Championships, the Odessa High and Permian boys gymnastics teams are set to compete at the 2021 THSGCA State Championships at Euless Trinity High School.
Odessa High qualified for the state meet as a team after placing second with a score of 308.30. State qualifiers needed to reach 295 points to advance as a team.
Although Permian scored 298.90 points at regionals, the Panthers missed out on qualifying with a fourth-place finish. The Panthers will be represented by six individual athletes at the competition.
Permian’s Zachary Cordle and Sincere Galindo qualified for the all-around, while Joseph Kilgore and Joshua Rodriguez advanced through the rings event.
Wesley Brown secured a spot through the parallel bars, with Quatre Haskins taking a spot through rings and pommel horse.
Odessa High’s Seth Regalado was the all-around champion at the Region III meet, leading his team to a top-two finish.
Bronchos head coach Trey Enriquez said Odessa High has been a fixture at the state meet over the past five years.
“We were able to guarantee ourselves a spot at state, it wasn’t a question at all,” Enriquez said. “They earned it, they put in the work.”
Enriquez has seen his team show high confidence in practices the last two weeks. He said the experience this year’s group has gained the past two seasons will be beneficial in Euless.
Permian head coach Chris Soto said this year was the first time any of his state qualifiers competed in any postseason meets. They had never competed at any district or regional meets, so advancing to state is a big leap for them, according to Soto.
Cordle is the only senior in Permian’s qualifying group.
“Just to see them compete at a state meet and get an eye for what the competition is like is going to be a good advantage for them next year,” Soto said.
At this point of the season, both teams are focusing on cleaning up their routines. Performances are peaking and gymnasts are starting to feel more comfortable as the state meet nears.
Soto wants his gymnasts to have fun at the state meet by putting together all the experiences they’ve picked up in practices.
Enriquez said he expects his Bronchos to be as competitive as any other team at state.
“We didn’t just go up there to watch everybody else compete,” Enriquez said. “We want to let them know that we’re there to compete.”
A top-five finish would give Odessa High its highest placement at the state gymnastics competition in the program’s history.
The ECISD schools will begin competing Friday. Permian’s individuals will be in a rotation with Chisholm High School that starts at 10 a.m., while Odessa High’s rotation starts at 3 p.m.
>> Follow Chris Amaya on Twitter at @OA_CAmaya
