Men’s Gymnastics Gets Big Win In Final Home Meet Of Season – Ohio State Buckeyes
2/24/2001 12:00:00 AM | General, Men's Gymnastics
Feb. 24, 2001
COLUMBUS, Ohio— The Ohio State men’s gymnastics team dropped the Penn State Nittany Lions 217.200-208.200 in front of 1,980 fans Feb. 24 in St. John Arena. The No. 2-ranked Buckeyes bested their previous season high in the final regular season home meet for seniors Jamie Natalie (Sr., Hockessin, Del.), Daren Lynch (Sr., Londonderry, N.H.) and Jay Nardelli (Sr., Centreville, Va.). The Buckeyes took first place in four of the six events, sweeping the Top 5 in three. The Buckeyes also dominated the all-around competition, with Natalie scoring 53.450 points. With the victory, the Buckeye seniors close out their careers undeafeted at home.
Natalie, the nation’s top ranked all-arounder, continued to decimate the field, taking the all-around title by more than three full points over Penn State’s Tobias Ekman. Natalie placed first on high bar with a score of 9.35 and scored a 9.25 on pommel horse to take second. Natalie claimed fourth on vault (9.10) and parallel bars (8.70) as well.
Nardelli remained consistent, placing in the Top 3 in his three events. His highest finsh came on parallel bars, where he took second with a score of 8.85. Nardelli’s 9.30 on rings was enough to claim third place in the event.
Lynch, who holds the top spot in the nation on rings, finished second on the apparatus behind Penn State’s Chris Lakeman. Lynch recorded a score of 9.60, and took second on vault with a 9.25, behind Penn State’s Rob Salinski.
Other Buckeyes making significant contributions were sophomores Raj Bhavsar (So., Houston, Texas), Michael Evans (So., Houston, Texas) and Dick Huntwork (So., Pickerington, Ohio). Bhavsar took first on floor exercises and pommel horse, while Huntwork claimed the top spot on parallel bars. Evans took second on high bar behind Natalie.
OHIO STATE RESULTS Floor Exercise 1.Raj Bhavsar (OSU) 9.200 2. Dick Huntwork (OSU) 9.000 4T. Earnest Nelson (OSU) 8.850 4T. Jamey Houle (OSU) 8.850
Pommel Horse 1.Raj Bhavsar (OSU) 9.300 2. Jamie Natalie (OSU) 9.250 3. Eric Van Sickle (OSU) 9.050 4. Rayn Schwartkopf (OSU) 8.950 5. Dick Huntwork (OSU) 8.850
Still Rings 1. Chris Lakeman (PSU) 9.750 2. Daren Lynch (OSU) 9.600 3. Jay Nardelli (OSU) 9.300 5. Matt Smith (OSU) 8.750
Vault 1. Rob Salinski (PSU) 9.300 2. Daren Lynch (OSU) 9.250 3T. Jay Kim (PSU) 9.100 3T. Jamie Natalie (OSU) 9.100
Parallel Bars 1. Dick Huntwork (OSU) 8.900 2. Jay Nardelli (OSU) 8.850 3. Raj Bhavsar (OSU) 8.800 4. Jamie Natalie (OSU) 8.700 5. Daren Lynch (OSU) 8.300
Horizontal Bar 1. Jamie Natalie (OSU) 9.350 2. Michael Evans (OSU) 9.250 3. Jay Nardelli (OSU) 9.200 4. Earnest Nelson (OSU) 9.150
All-Around 1. Jamie Natalie (OSU) 53.450 2. Tobias Ekman (PSU) 50.250
