*Gymnast Evelyn LaCroix does a hand stand in the gym at Spaulding High School. LaCroix is the Times Argus Gymnast of the Year.*

A late-season meet yielded an unexpected triumph for Times Argus Gymnast of the Year Evelyn LaCroix.

The rising star exceeded her own expectations by scoring a 10 on beam during a meet against Harwood in Waterbury. It was a rare feat for a competitor from Vermont, where perfect scores are almost never attained at the high school level. Making the accomplishment even more impressive is the fact that LaCroix is still a freshman.

“It was really exciting,” LaCroix said. “I never thought I was ever going to get a 10. We all thought it was not real at first until our coach confirmed it.”

The momentum from that event helped LaCroix attain more success during the state championship meet last month at Regal Gymnastics Academy. A Barre native who competes for Montpelier, LaCroix earned top individual honors to help Montpelier earn a spot on the podium as a team. The Solons placed third out of 11 schools, proving their success in recent years was no fluke.

LaCroix was delighted with her team’s performance, which marked another high point for Solons coach Shannon LeBoeuf. Claiming the individual title provided another highlight following a season filled with eye-popping performances.

“Winning first overall was also really exciting, because I knew there were a lot of really good gymnasts there,” LaCroix said.

The fact that the meet was held at the Regal venue, LaCroix’s home turf, made the championship even more enjoyable. The Solons star recorded an overall score of 38.4 points, while St. Johnsbury’s Lizzy Jones was runner-up with a 37.375. LaCroix claimed top honors on vault (9.5), bars (9.75) and floor (9.775). She finished fourth on beam with a 9.375.

*Gymnast Evelyn LaCroix stands in the gym at Spaulding High School.*

LaCroix hopes to compete for the Solons again next year. One of her goals for the 2023 state championship is to help MHS place even better in the team standings. She also looks forward to performing more routines on floor, her favorite event.

“I would love for us to have a really strong team, even stronger than this year,” she said.

Original article can be found at The Times Argus.

All photos by Jeb Wallace-Brodeur.