The Worthington Kilbourne High School gymnastics team captured another OCC-Central Division championship Feb. 11 at Dublin Coffman.

The Wolves emerged victorious for the third consecutive season by totaling 134.75 points in the league meet to finish ahead of Olentangy Liberty (126.95), Delaware (116.075), Hilliard Davidson (111.325), Westland (92.75) and Dublin Scioto (83.95). Kilbourne had set itself up for another title by finishing 5-0 in OCC-Central duals.

“Our goal was to steadily improve throughout the season, and I think we’ve done that,” coach Cindy Fushimi said. “(Winning) never gets old, though.

“We’ve had some events we’ve been kind of shaky in, like on the (balance) beam, and we were hoping to see better results today. I think we did that, too.”

The Wolves, who next compete in the district meet Feb. 25 at home, didn’t win the beam, but they did place five girls on the podium. Selena Fushimi-Karns finished second (8.7), and the next four spots were taken by Erin Knickerbocker (8.5), Kayla Rice (8.375), Celeste Fushimi-Karns (8.275) and Erica Rodriguez (8.2).

Selena Fushimi-Karns won the vault (9.2) and also was champion in the all-around (34.45), while Rice finished first on the uneven bars (8.125). Rodriguez took second in the all-around (34.0) and Rice was third (33.325).

Kilbourne also showed its depth in the vault as Rodriguez finished second (9.125) and was followed by Stephanie Keller (third, 8.775) and Celeste Fushimi-Karns (fifth, 8.25), who is working her way back from a knee injury. Rodriguez placed second (7.875) and Selena Fushimi-Karns was fifth (7.45) on bars. Selena Fushimi-Karns finished second (9.1), Rice was third (8.85) and Rodriguez fourth (8.8) on floor exercise.

“Now we just have to take this and keep going,” Fushimi said.

The top three teams and top nine individuals in each event at district, including the all-around, will advance to the state meet at Hilliard Bradley. Teams compete March 2 and individuals compete March 3.

Kilbourne, Thomas Worthington and DeSales qualified a year ago. All three should be in contention again along with top-seeded Coffman. The wildcard might be Dresden Tri-Valley, which defeated Thomas 134.225-131.375 in a dual meet Feb. 2.

“It’s going to be tight,” Fushimi said.

•Thomas was unable to defend its title in the OCC-Ohio as it finished fourth (131.2) in the league meet Feb. 11 at Coffman behind the Shamrocks (136.475), Grove City (136.225) and Olentangy (135.125) and ahead of Upper Arlington (125.875) and Hilliard Darby (116.075).

The OCC-Ohio clearly was the most competitive of the three divisions. Grove City and Olentangy’s point totals would have been enough to win the other two league meets, and the Cardinals’ score would have placed it first in the OCC-Capital won by Dublin Jerome (128.925).

“We knew it was going to be tough. The highest scores in the area all year have come out of this division,” said Thomas coach Marci Skeen, whose team defeated Coffman earlier this season and finished 3-2 in league duals along with Grove City, behind the Shamrocks and Olentangy (4-1 each). “We did OK, but it wasn’t enough.”

The best news might be that sophomore Leah Carloni competed in two events after breaking an ankle in January, finishing fifth on bars (8.525). The only other event in which the Cardinals placed was floor as Hannah Johnson took fifth (8.9) and Anna Glover was sixth (8.45).

“She was on bars and beam today,” Skeen said of Carloni, “and by district we’re hoping for the all-around.”

Skeen said her team will fine-tune routines during the two-week break between the league and district meets, which might be one of the most competitive in several years.

“It’s going to take 135 or 136 (points) to get out,” she said. “But we certainly know we’re capable of hitting that.”