Mt. Hope gymnasts are making strides back toward contention

Young group of Huskies have a heap of talent within their ranks

By Mike Rego
Posted 1/28/25

Though not quite there yet, the Mt. Hope High School gymnastics team has so far in the 2024-25 season taken steps towards once again becoming a factor in the state championship chase down the line.

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Mt. Hope gymnasts are making strides back toward contention

Young group of Huskies have a heap of talent within their ranks

Posted

Though not quite there yet, the Mt. Hope High School gymnastics team has so far in the 2024-25 season taken steps towards once again becoming a factor in the state championship chase down the line.

The Huskies have an extremely talented collection of youngsters either new or back in the fold for a second winter, who are being mentored by an equally qualified group of experienced athletes.

Mt. Hope's most recent outing, Sunday, Jan. 26, in East Greenwich at Aim High Academy was a continuation of the team's growth. The Huskies picked up a win against South Kingstown and were competitive with top-tier Division I teams LaSalle and Portsmouth. The locals posted their second-best overall total of the winter, 131.225, and their best to date on beam, 32.45.

Mt. Hope head coach Nicole Daniello, now in her 13th season leading the program, is realistic about the Huskies' status amongst the state's better teams, though that neither dampened her enthusiasm nor that of her tumblers.

"So we probably will not be qualifying for states," Daniello said after the event at Aim High. Only four teams from D-I qualify for the state championship meet, but individuals can also gain access to the competition.

Daniello, who guided the Huskies to four consecutive championships (three D-II and one state) from 2016-2019, continued, "However, however, we have been improving throughout the season despite injuries and sickness. I haven't had a full team go to a meet in three weeks so today was the first time we had everyone back and we had our second highest score of the season. They were fantastic. Our highest score (131.77) was our first meet on January 5 also against Barrington and Portsmouth."

Sophomore standout Kara Pisasale, as she has since she joined the group last winter, led the locals all-around with a total of 35.35 off scores of 8.75 on vault (a season-best) an 8.95 on vault, an 8.66 on beam and a 9.0 on floor. The second-team All-Stater a year ago was second to Burrillville's Riley Allen, competing as an individual, who was the day's all-around first with a 35.5.

Three impressive freshmen also vied all-around for Mt. Hope. Charlotte Piper had scores of 8.65 on vault, 6.9 on bars, 8.1 on beam and 8.375 on floor. Madeline Rozea received an 8.45 on vault, a 7.8 on bars along with an 8 on beam and floor. Reese Ryback, one of the injured Huskies who returned over the weekend, had scores of 8.6 on vault, 5.75 on bars, 6.65 on beam and 6.65 on floor.

Contributing as well to the Mt. Hope team total were another fine frosh Evalina Minnella with a 7.35 on bars and a 7.95 on floor. Junior co-captain Isabella Brando's 7.7 on bars was a counting score.

The rest of the Mt. Hope roster includes seniors Madeleine St. Pierre, the Huskies' co-captain, and Maxine Scott; junior Cassidy Areia; sophomores Sarah Sustakowsky, Ella Teixeira and Natalia Quezada-Grant; and freshman Julia Pisasale, all of whom have had contributing scores in meets so far this year.

"They're all contributing to our team score one way or another, on one event or another," Daniello said of her group as a whole.

In the season-opener against Barrington and Portsmouth, Kara Pisasale was the top all-arounder for the locals and overall in the competition with a total of 35.825. Against LaSalle and the Warwick co-op in their next meet, LaSalle and the Warwick co-op Pisasale led the Huskies again and was third all-around with a 34.1. LaSalle's Lauren Horrigan was tops with a 35.325 while Burrillville's Allen was second with a 34.425. Both are returning first team All-Staters.

In their previous outing before last weekend against Barrington, S.K. and Coventry on January 19, Pisasale posted a 34.8 all-around, just second on the day to Barrington's Sarah Henderson, who earned a 34.85.

Of Pisasale's aims at the championship level, Daniello said, "Kara's goal is to make first team All-State and to be in the top six on each event and the all-around for states. I think she could easily do that."

Pisasale and Piper have already qualified to compete in the individual state meet. Rozea and Rybak are close to joining them. Others will compete at the junior varsity meet as well.

As for her expectations for the team the rest of the way, Daniello added, "I want to see them continuing to improve their routines and add more difficult skills. The team is very talented and has already shown so much growth."

The Huskies have two more meets remaining on their regular season schedule, including their home finale Sunday afternoon, Feb. 2, at Strive Gymnastics in Somerset against Portsmouth beginning at 3 p.m. when they'll honor seniors Scott and St. Pierre.

The team state championship meet is Saturday, Feb. 15, at Rhode Island College with the Midge Palmer Individual State Meet set for the next day, February 16, back at RIC starting at noon.

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MIKE REGO

Mike Rego has worked at East Bay Newspapers since 2001, helping the company launch The Westport Shorelines. He soon after became a Sports Editor, spending the next 10-plus years in that role before taking over as editor of The East Providence Post in February of 2012. To contact Mike about The Post or to submit information, suggest story ideas or photo opportunities, etc. in East Providence, email mrego@eastbaymediagroup.com.