Fobes wins CJ all-around; Diamond, Jack also win
BY TIM MORRIS
Staff Writer

One of Austyn Fobes' biggest fans this year has been Dawn Campbell.

Campbell, the only area athlete to win the state all-around gymnastics title, has been in Fobes' corner, cheering the Howell sophomore on, encouraging her to join her as a state champion.

Saturday at the NJSIAA Central Jersey Section I Championships held at Manalapan High School, Fobes continued to follow in Campbell's footsteps. She added the sectional all-around championship to the one she won at the Shore Conference, with a season's best 38.25. Saturday, she will look to join Campbell as the state individual all-around state champion at Rutgers University.

Fobes' 38.25 score put her more than a full point ahead of runner-up Brooke Grohol of Red Bank Catholic (37.125) in what is tantamount in gymnastics to a wide margin.

Grohol did have the satisfaction of leading the Caseys by Howell for the team championship, 110-275-108.075. At the conference championships, Howell had finished first.

Colts Neck was fourth (106.325); Marlboro, fifth (103.85); Freehold Borough, sixth (101.875); Manalapan, seventh (101.825), and Freehold Township, ninth (99.9) among the Freehold Regional District schools.

The state sectional was a showcase for the District gymnasts, who took three of the top four spots in the all-around and swept all of the individual events.

Defending champion Lindsay Diamond of Colts Neck was third in the AA (37.05) and Marlboro's Lauren Jack, fourth (36.875). Howell's Brianna Ecklof was ninth (36.2).

Fobes was the sectional champion on the uneven bars, sharing the title with RBC's Beate Jones, with both receiving a score of 9.65. Fobes topped her teammate Ecklof on the floor exercise with a 9.675 to Ecklof's 9.575.

Fobes was also third on the vault (9.475) and second on the balance beam (9.45), putting on as dominating a show as you will see.

Diamond won the vault championship with a 9.7. The Cougar senior was third on the bars (9.4) and fourth on the beam (9.275) as she gave a good run at capturing a third straight sectional title.

Jack added the state sectional title on the balance beam to her impressive scholastic résumé. The Mustang scored a 9.575 on the always treacherous beam.

Colts Neck's Danielle D'Elea medaled on the floor exercise, placing fourth (9.35).

The top five gymnasts in each event and the all-around qualified for the NJSIAA Gymnastics Championships on Saturday.

Despite their second-place finish, the Rebels did not qualify for the team competition at the state meet. The sectional champions and the five highest-scoring teams from all the sectionals that did not win made the field.

Fobes' 38.25 was the fourth-best score from all of the sections combined.