Barnstable and Falmouth/Mashpee Gymnasts Battle it Out to Fight Cancer

MASHPEE — Last night, which team came out the winner was secondary.

Even the fact Barnstable set a new school balance beam record was secondary.

Barnstable High School gymnastics head coach Duncan Chase stands amidst all of the varsity gymnasts from Barnstable and Falmouth and Mashpee High Schools.
Photo courtesy of Jillian Pacheco

In this season’s second-slated meet between Barnstable and the Falmouth/Mashpee high School gymnastics teams, held last night at Mashpee’s Flip Flops gymnastics club, both teams dedicated the competition to the memories of two deeply-loved, late fixtures of the Cape gymnastics’ scene: longtime Barnstable High School varsity assistant coach Sheila Kelly and longtime judge Karin Viafore.

Both women passed away after long battles with cancer.

Kelly, who coached with Barnstable gymnastics head coach Duncan Chase for over 20 years, died from ovarian cancer. Viafore died three years ago to the date from breast cancer. Both high school teams used the meet to help raise cancer awareness and to raise money for cancer research.

“This was a very special meet for both teams,” Banstable asst. coach Jillian Pacheco said. “Both women made deep impacts on every gymnast and it was an honor to hold a meet to remember that.”

It was Kelly who helped Chase build Barnstable’s gymnastics dynasty that developed over time into 10 state championship titles.

Barnstable won last night’s meet 146.85-143.5.

Here’s a break-down of the scores and finishes.

Vault
1. Kayla Myrbeck 9.55
2. Abbey Chetwynd 9.45
3. Allison Kondracki 9.35 (Falmouth-Mashpee)

Bars
1. Michael Cannatelli 9.7 (Falmouth-Mashpee)
2. Tali Twomey 9.6
3. Taylor Dimond 9.5 (Falmouth-Mashpee)

Beam
1. Abbey Chetwynd 9.75 (school record)
2. Kayla Myrbeck 9.7 (first broke the school record on beam, then Abbey competed 3 minutes later and broke it again. The school beam record was a 9.625 set on March 3, 2006 by Allison Szatek)
3. Tali Twomey 9.6

Floor
1. Tali Twomey 9.5
2. Jillian Fraser 9.25
3. Taylor Dimond 9.15 (Falmouth-Mashpee)

All Around
1. Abbey Chetwynd 37.3
2. Sydney Pinnsonault 35.9 (Falmouth-Mashpee)
3. Jillian Fraser 35.6
4. Allison Kondracki 35.25 (Falmouth-Mashpee)

— Sean Walsh is the sports editor for www.capecod.com. His email is [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @coachwalshccbm