Norwich — Lydia Laskey's first experience in gymnastics came when she was around 6 years old at a friend's birthday party at ABC Shoreline Gymnastics in Niantic.

"They had us go around a few times," Laskey said.

That's the first time she ever stood on a balance beam. It was a feat she's become known for in her accomplished gymnastics career and a talent which earned Laskey, a Stonington High School junior, an Eastern Connecticut Conference championship Saturday at Thames Valley Gymnastics.

Laskey scored a 9.2 on beam, which allowed her to break the impenetrable wall that is the Woodstock Academy gymnastics team to earn the victory.

Woodstock junior Taylor Markley won the other three disciplines to take the all-around title with 37.9 points as the Centaurs captured their 12th straight conference championship. Markley took the vault (9.5), uneven bars (9.7) and floor (9.7).

Woodstock's first-place total of 140.55 points put them comfortably ahead, with a tight race for second place between Norwich Free Academy (129.45), Stonington (128.45) and Killingly (128.25) in the four-team field.

"I have always been confident on beam. It's always been my favorite event," said Laskey, speaking of the event that is many other competitors' least favorite event. "I always got up there and did my best. It just comes naturally to me.

"It's hard sometimes when the floor music is in your ears. Also, coming back from COVID was hard because I took a long break. But I have confidence in myself right now. ... We have a lot of people new to the team, but I'm really proud of them."

Laskey said that a split 3/4 is her toughest element on beam — she performs a half turn, does a split, then turns another quarter. She said the 9.2 tied her best score of the season.

East Lyme's Kaitlyn Abbey, meanwhile was second to Markley in the all-around competition with 36.35 points, with Woodstock's Olivia Aleman third (36.0), Plainfield's Brenna Johnson fourth (35.3), Tourtellotte's Kiera O'Brien fifth (35.15) and Laskey sixth (34.65).

Abbey, who was second on the bars at 9.2 and tied for second on beam at 9.0, knew she was in for a tough competition against Markley. She called Markley's lofty scores "100% deserving."

"I'm kind of like a fan girl for her," Abbey said. "She does huge skills. I have to do the best I can do to match that. It definitely helps to have someone pushing you. It's nice to have. ... I'm so happy. I did the absolute best I could."

Abbey, who is on a team of two along with East Lyme's Franny Duong, followed the same rotation as Stonington on Saturday. After Stonington performed, then left to warm up on its next apparatus, Abbey and Duong performed for East Lyme. Woodstock, which followed that group in each event, was often heard cheering for Abbey.

"I don't really have a team," Abbey said. "It really made me happy to see I had people rooting for me."

Said Abbey: "I wanted to win something today, but I don't really go out wanting to win everything. I want scores, averages, that are going to get me in the State Open."

NFA coach Cindy Briggs Grossi didn't tell the Wildcats how close the team scores were headed into their final discipline, the balance beam. This is the third season for Grossi, a 2011 NFA grad, who has seen the depth of talent on the team just keep improving during her tenure.

"I'm so proud," Grossi said. "They really came a long way. I told them, 'It's not over 'til it's over. Put the mistakes behind you. The strong things you did paid off.' We've definitely come a long way in the last two years. We showed our depth today. Our top performers are becoming even stronger. We've only been going up.

"I don't talk about scores. But we stayed focused (on beam). They did a really good job. It was so exciting to see them be so shocked and happy (when they announced the results)."

v.fulkerson@theday.com

2022 ECC GYMNASTICS CHAMPIONSHIPS 

At Thames Valley Gymnastics, Norwich

Team Results

1. Woodstock Academy 140.55; 2. Norwich Free Academy 129.45, 3. Stonington 128.45, 4. Killingly 128.25.

Individual Results

Vault — 1. Taylor Markley (Woodstock), 9.5; 2. Olivia Aleman (Woodstock), 9.1; 3. Lindsey Gilles (Woodstock), 8.85; 4. Kaitlyn Abbey (East Lyme), 8.8; 5. Brenna Johnson (Plainfield), 8.75; 6. Savannah Turner (Killingly), 8.4.

Uneven bars — 1. Markley (Woodstock), 9.7; 2. Abbey (East Lyme), 9.2; 3. Aleman (Woodstock), 9.05; 4. Gilles (Woodstock), 8.9; 5. Natalie Guzman (Killingly), 8.6; 6. Johnson (Plainfield), 8.55.

Balance beam — 1. Lydia Laskey (Stonington), 9.2; 2. (tie) Markley (Woodstock), Abbey (East Lyme) and Kiera O'Brien (Tourtellotte), 9.0; 3. Emma Field (NFA), 8.85; 4. Johnson (Plainfield), 8.6; 5. (tie) Aleman (Woodstock) and Mary Lord (Stonington), 8.3; 6. (tie) Sarah Fedelli (NFA), Kaitlyn Titus (NFA) and Livia Gerum (Woodstock), 8.2.

Floor exercise — 1. Markley (Woodstock), 9.7; 2. Aleman (Woodstock), 9.55; 3. Johnson (Plainfield), 9.4; 4. (tie) Abbey (East Lyme) and O'Brien (Tourtellotte), 9.35; 5. Turner (Killingly), 9.05; 6. Laskey (Stonington), 8.85.

All-around — 1. Markley (Woodstock), 37.9; 2. Abbey (East Lyme), 36.35; 3. Aleman (Woodstock), 36.0; 4. Johnson (Plainfield), 35.3; 5. O'Brien (Tourtellotte), 35.15; 6. Laskey (Stonington), 34.65.