5A Gymnastics: Overland’s Dolan shines to take All-Around title
THORNTON — Her initial performance at the Class 5A gymnastic individual events helped Overland win a state title. After that, Mattea Dolan was putting on a show more than worthy of individual accolades.
Dolan claimed the 5A All-Around championship and the sophomore put forth a solid effort to try and claim individual titles at Saturday’s finals. And even if she get individual gold medals, the finals were still very much a show for Overland as Bailey Rodriguez claimed medalist honors on the balance beam, Mabry Robinson took first in the vault and Autumn Ivester won gold in the floor competition.
Dolan was in the mix in both events, taking second in the vault and forth in the balance beam. Even without those gold medals, she was proud of the effort that she and her teammates put forth, especially coming of the emotional high of winning a team championship.
“I want (my teammates) to get all that they deserve,” Dolan said. “They deserve the world and it’s so great to see them get that and they worked so hard. I got to be with them through all of that and they did amazing.”
The Trailblazers finished a remarkable state meet that included three individual gold medals, the all-around championship and the team state title, the sixth in program history.
“That’s definitely the best that we’ve ever done,” coach Lisa Sparrow said.
What she was most proud about was the way her team bounced back from a draining Thursday session and still competed a high level in going for the individual crowns.
In acquiring four straight team runner-up titles, Sparrow has seen firsthand how her team puts its energy into the team competition. That was no different this year so for them to come back on Saturday and win three individual gold medals was an accomplishment that will not go unnoticed.
“These ladies are so fatigued,” Sparrow said. “They got up and went to school yesterday after getting out late from the Thursday competition and they put everything they have into that team competition. They’re extremely gassed today. It is so much more special that they were able to fight through that and continue to do the great things they did.”
Mabry Robinson claimed the team’s only gold medal last year when she won the floor so the 2021 results represent a total team growth.
The lone event the Trailblazers didn’t win was the uneven bars competition. First place went to Thornton’s Haley Like who won the balance beam and the vault last year.
With two more years to go, Dolan will certainly have a chance to create many more state gymnastics memories, but for now she can’t discount just how memorable this season was.
“Honestly, I’ll always think about the memories I made with my team,” she said. “It was such a great experience to share with them.
