Senior gymnasts vault out with style

By Rohit Bhave

Daily Sports Writer

The Michigan men's gymnastics team's final home meet of the season against Michigan State displayed the timeless cycle of collegiate sports. As departing seniors Lalo Haro and Ethan Johnson gave their last hurrah, budding freshman star Kris Zimmerman exhibited his potential with a near-perfect 9.95 on the parallel bars. The trio, in addition to junior Tim Dehr, aided the Wolverines in their sound 230.025-226.8 defeat of the rival Spartans last night.

The win over the Spartans was a foregone conclusion after Michigan rolled up a 39.075 event score on the rings, leaving the Wolverines with an insurmountable 116.175-113.9 advantage. Michigan racked up two team event records with its mark on the rings, and its 38.975 on the parallel bars.

Although sophomore Scott Vetere posted the event's top score of 9.925, Johnson's 9.75 score on the rings proves to be more significant to the Wolverine's title hopes. Johnson's first dual-meet performance of his difficult rings routine was crucial because complete execution of the routine may net a near-perfect score in the future. In a tight NCAA championship final, it may become an ace up coach Kurt Golder's sleave.

In perhaps his own final home meet, Dehr scored a personal-record 9.925 on the pommel horse, continuing his season of phenomenal improvement. Although Dehr has senior academic standing, he likely will be back next season to compete for the Wolverines.

The most poignant moment of the evening came when Haro completed his final high-bar event for Michigan. Even though he fell on his difficult routine, Golder's first blue-chip recruit finished his daring final home routine by resolutely sticking his dismount to the hearty cheers of the home crowd. Haro's strong all-around performance won him the Newt Loken Award, along with Zimmerman, for the meet's outstanding performances.

"It was great to have all my teammates behind me the entire meet," Haro said. "This closes a chapter in my life."

For Golder's first recruiting class, this meet represented a culmination of their work and achievement of the last four years. After inheriting a barren program, their foundation supported the making of last year's NCAA championship and this year's title run. Departing seniors Jesse Coleman, Bryan Pascoe, Lalo Haro, Ethan Johnson and Adam Hattersly epitomized the term student-athlete. In their four years, they not only landed Michigan's first national championship in gymnastics, they collectively won nine academic awards.

"I hate to lose them, but I'm excited to see them graduate and move on with their lives," Golder said following the meet.

DANNY KALICK/Daily

Junior co-captain Kevin Roulston shows his form on the bars.