Newsday's Top 10 gymnasts for Fall 2023
From left: Half Hollow Hills' Adison Eisenberg, Bay Shore-Islip's Isabella Field and Middle Country's Hannah Hughes. Credit: James Escher
Newsday's annual look at the top gymnasts for the fall 2023 season, listed in alphabetical order.
(All stats, placements and awards are from last year unless otherwise noted.)
ADISON EISENBERG, Half Hollow Hills, Sr.: Eisenberg made the state team last year and placed 10th on vault. At individual county championships, she finished fourth all-around and on vault.
ISABELLA FIELD, Bay Shore/Islip, Jr.: Field placed third all-around at the county individual meet. She was also ninth all-around at the state meet, the second-highest finisher in Suffolk.
KATHRYN GAEBEL, Sachem, Sr.: Gaebel finished 10th all-around at the individual county meet. She has upgraded her vault and aims to qualify for the state team this fall, coach Jamie Kochen said.
BAYLA GOLDBERG, Smithtown, So.: Goldberg is entering her fourth varsity season after competing on both bars, finishing eighth, and beam in last year’s state meet. According to coach Jessica Berroyer, Goldberg “prides herself on her work ethic toward bettering the team as a whole.”
From left, Bayla Goldberg of Smithtown, Avery Melchiona of Connetquot and Madisyn Rodriguez of Middle Country.
HANNAH HUGHES, Middle Country, Jr.: Hughes is the reigning Newsday Gymnast of the Year and the 2023 all-around and vault state champion. She is a “determined, very calculated young lady” and does not plan on letting go of her titles, coach Melissa Valentino said.
KENNEDY LYDEN, Bay Shore/Islip, So.: Lyden finished seventh all-around in the county individual meet. She competed in the state meet on bars and beam as well.
AVERY MELCHIONA, Connetquot, So.: Melchiona has competed for Connetquot since she was a seventh-grader. She competed on floor at the state meet and “continues to better not only herself each practice, but the team as well,” coach Samantha Libretti said.
ALLISON TONRY, Hauppauge, Sr.: Tonry placed fifth on beam at the county championships, qualifying her as a specialist for the state team. Her mindset this season has been “ferocious” and her determination is “stronger than ever,” coach Amanda Hemp said.
MAKAYLA TURPO-BARBERO, Babylon, So.: Turpo-Barbero placed seventh on beam and 11th as an all-around gymnast at county individuals. She is “back with bigger and better skills” and “eager” to make the state team, coach Steve Silipo said.
MADISYN RODRIGUEZ, Middle Country, Jr.: Coach Melissa Valentino said Rodriguez’s goal is to get to the county meet as an all-around gymnast and improve on last year's state meet by participating in more than bars.
Ben Dickson joined Newsday’s high school sports staff in 2023 after graduating from Maryland, where he covered several of the Terrapins' teams.