Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK gymnastics edges Syosset behind strong finishes from Marisa Schlossman, Josophina Casvikes
Marisa Schlossman of Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK on the beam during a Nassau High School Girls gymnastics competition against Syosset on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024. Credit: Derrick Dingle /Derrick Dingle
When Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK and Syosset gymnastics meet, everyone expects a close score. But Tuesday evening saw that drama burst to heights greater than any gymnast coming flying off the uneven bars.
Plainview-Old Bethpage JFK gymnastics won a nail-biter over Syosset, 171.55-171, in a battle of Long Island’s best in Nassau I at Jamaica Avenue School.
POB JFK’s Marisa Schlossman placed second in the all-around with her 35.05, with eighth-grade teammate Andi Yu’s 33.65 taking third. Syosset senior Vanessa Frullo’s 35.6 led all gymnasts.
Schlossman and fellow senior Josophina Casvikes finished the meet with 9.25- and 9-point scores in floor, respectively, to narrowly push the home side ahead.
“It came down to who fought till the end, and I think we did a really good job of doing that,” Schlossman said.
POB JFK held a mere 1.15-point lead after the first two events, vault and uneven bars. But even a larger lead isn’t safe against Syosset given its strengths in floor and beam. Senior Leah Chin proved it by scoring a meet-high 9.45 in floor, backed up by Frullo’s 9.3, Illana Slade’s 9.2 and Reese Kaufman’s 9.1.
“You can’t think four events ahead,” Schlossman said. “You can’t bring negative energy over.”
“Every other year I think we got ahead of ourselves, just because we know Syosset has a really strong beam and floor,” Casvikes added. “It really shows that .5 can make a difference even if there’s a wobble.”
The young up-and-comers for POB JFK added vital points in the win. Eighth-grader Sofia Rosamilia opened the meet by singing the anthem and followed it up with a thrilling double giant to a layout flyaway to end her routine on uneven bars, earning a team-best 8.85.
“After I stuck my routine, I was just super happy,” Rosamilia said. “It was just a good moment.”
Yu launched herself around Rosamilia shoulders in a hug after the dismount. It’s remarkable to see middle schoolers in Yu, Rosamilia and the team’s only seventh-grader Addie Simon provide such value to a top Long Island program. Simon scored a 33.45 in the all-around.
“We didn’t focus on the scores, we focused on what we were good at, and I think that’s what brought us to the end score,” Simon said.
