HIGHLAND TOWNSHIP — Lexi Fundich is arguably the greatest high school gymnast in Livingston County history.
It would be hard to dispute that assertion after she finished her Hartland career in style by winning the Division 1 all-around championship during the state individual finals on Saturday, March 7 at Milford High School.
Fundich posted the fifth-best score in finals history, scoring 38.625 points to win by 1.025 points over Stella Musialowski of Milford. Fundich was second all around last year.
Her score is the best at the finals since two-time champion Christina Shabet of Troy posted a 38.675 in 2014. Grand Ledge’s Alexis Bylington set the finals record of 38.85 in 2010.
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Fundich succeeded by emphasizing the first three letters of her last name.
“Mostly I just tried to have fun and not let the nerves take over, which happened, so it went well,” Fundich told MHSAA Second Half. “I definitely was nervous, but I didn’t want to let it control me throughout the meet. I let fun control me instead.”
On her way to the championship, Fundich repeated as state champion in floor exercise with a 9.85, won beam with a 9.725, won bars with a 9.4 and was second on vault with a 9.65.
“I was really happy with my floor score,” Fundich said. “I broke the record for floor on my team, so I was really excited about that.”
For all the success Hartland has enjoyed in recent years, Fundich is the Eagles’ first all-around state champion in Division 1 since Kristin Griesto in 1999. Jeanne O’Brien of Hartland was the Division 2 all-around champ in 2000.
Brighton’s Courtney Casper (2017) is the only other Livingston County all-around state champion, winning Division 1. In gymnastics, competitors are divided into Divisions 1 and 2 based on skill level and experience.
Hartland, having won its second straight team title one day earlier, swept the individual championships. Senior Kate Gostlin repeated as vault champion with her second 9.8 of the weekend.
Gostlin finished eighth all around with a 35.65. She tied for third on floor with a 9.425.
Howell’s Zoe Cerda tied for 14th with a 34.65 and Pinckney’s Emily Clark tied for 19th with a 33.85 in Division 1 all-around competition. Brighton’s Adriana Siuru tied for 10th all around in Division 2 with a 35.0.
Cerda tied for ninth on vault with an 8.9 and Clark tied for ninth on floor with a 9.3.
Hartland’s Olivia Flatt was sixth on vault and tied for seventh on floor, while teammate Olivia Terrell was sixth on bars in Division 1.
In Division 2, Howell’s Nina Daavettila was fifth on vault (9.075), Brighton’s Adriana Siuru was sixth on beam (8.975) and Brighton’s Joelle Yakimow tied for eighth on floor (9.225).
Contact Bill Khan at wkhan@livingstondaily.com. Follow him on X @BillKhan
This article originally appeared on Livingston Daily: Hartland gymnast Lexi Fundich cements legacy as state all-around champ
Reporting by Bill Khan, Livingston Daily / Livingston Daily
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