March 16, 2013
Portage Captures First Gymnastics Title since 1975, Barcelli wins All-Around Crown
Behind senior Mackenzie Barcelli’s all-around title, top-ranked Portage earned the team title in the 41st Annual IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals at Worthen Arena in Muncie.
It was the school’s second state title in the sport, first since 1975 and eighth overall in school history. The Indians last won state championships in 1999-00 in boys cross country and 3A softball. Karen Barcelli, Mackenzie’s mother, was the Portage coach.
Mackenzie became her school's first all-around state champion by capturing the floor exercise with a score of 9.675 and second place finishes in the bars (9.650) and balance beam (9.350). Her efforts along with her teammates helped the Indians outdistance conference rival Valparaiso, 112.60 to 112.10. Portage had finished second to Valpo at both the sectional and regional tournaments the previous two weekends but made it count when it mattered today. Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, the defending state champion, finished third with 110.975 points.
Senior Morgan Algozine finished her Valparaiso career with two more individual state championships to bring her total to six, tied for fourth most in state history. She won the uneven bars (9.70) for the second time in three years and repeated in the vault (9.875).
Owen Valley freshman Anna Watkin began her prep career by winning the balance beam with a score of 9.575. She is the first gymnast from her school to win a state title.
41st Annual IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals
March 16, 2013
Worthen Arena, Ball State University, Muncie, IN
| Final Team Scores |
| 1. |
Portage |
112.600 |
| 2. |
Valparaiso |
112.100 |
| 3. |
Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger |
110.975 |
| 4. |
Columbus North |
109.875 |
| 5. |
Columbus East |
107.660 |
| 6. |
Logansport |
105.750 |
| 7. |
New Palestine |
104.625 |
| 8. |
Homestead |
102.850 |
State Champions
All-Around: Mackenzie Barcelli, 12, Portage, 38.325.
Vault: Morgan Algozine, 12, Valparaiso, 9.875.
Uneven Bars: Morgan Algozine, 12, Valparaiso, 9.700.
Balance Beam: Anna Watkin, 9, Owen Valley, 9.575.
Floor Exercise: Mackenzie Barcelli, 12, Portage 9.675.
Chelsea Wieland of Columbus North named Ball Mental Attitude Award winner
Following the event, members of the IHSAA Executive Committee named Chelsea Wieland of Columbus North High School as the recipient of the Mildred M. Ball Mental Attitude Award.
The award is presented annually to a senior participant in the state finals who is deemed to have best demonstrated mental attitude, scholarship, leadership and athletic ability in gymnastics.
Wieland was part of three Columbus North state finalist teams serving as team captain the last two seasons. She will participate on the track and field team for the fourth year this spring and also was a cheerleader two years.
She ranks seventh in her senior class of 439 students, is a member of the National Honor Society, secretary of her senior class and is a member of the Student Assembly and Spanish Club.
She is the daughter of Todd and Tina Wieland of Columbus and plans to attend the University of Indianapolis to study Physical Therapy and compete as a pole vaulter.
Indiana Farm Bureau Insurance, the corporate partner of all IHSAA state championship events, presented a $1,000 scholarship to Columbus North High School in the name of Wieland.
The mental attitude award is named in honor of the former IHSAA assistant commissioner who served the Association from 1977 to 1997. During her career, Ball administered the state gymnastics tournament among other sports and also oversaw the licensing and training of all contest officials in the state of Indiana.