The Black and White

by Ava Holland

The Pilgrim High School gymnastics team sits at the forefront of the school’s female sports arsenal, with two first-place Division I titles in the past four years to show for its efforts— and this year has proved to be one of strong competition just as the others have been.

No stranger to the deeply competitive Pilgrim team, four-year member and now senior leader Lia Franchetti is just one part of the multi-faceted team of talented gymnasts, and following their qualifying meet (in which they achieved a 132.15 all-around score) expressed that this season in particular has been a challenge in comparison to others, but certainly no less rewarding.

Franchetti has been a gymnast since age two, originally put into the sport for fun, but has continued on to become a regular competitor and one of Pilgrim’s many key assets, and when asked about how she felt about the season this far, she said, “We’ve really had to work hard this season to prove ourselves against other really good teams, but we’ve really come through,” referencing how the team had officially qualified for states.

The state meet is the culmination of an entire season’s worth of competing and is often the highlight, especially for front-running teams such as Pilgrim, and when asked if she felt optimistic about their upcoming return to the event, Franchetti added that the expectations can never be too high, but that “everyone is going to try their hardest and hopefully there will be some big accomplishments”.

Although a team event, individual scores are of importance also, and in reference to her own performances this season for the Patriots, she stated, “There have been some rough meets, but this meet today felt really good,” as well as adding that she achieved a few personal bests in the qualifier, a testament to hard work throughout the year.

And finally, when asked about her favorite memory from her past four years with the Pilgrim gymnastics team, Franchetti said that it had to be winning states her junior year, “Because everyone worked really hard and really wanted it.” Additionally, she explained that it had been a surprise for them to come away with the title, and that it had been a “really fun season leading up to it.”

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Following their 2025 season qualifier, the Patriots went on to place fourth in the Division I state meet on February 16, a testament to their dedication and hard work as a team, and all of Pilgrim is very proud of their accomplishments. The team will see some changes as they bid farewell to two key seniors in Lia Franchetti and Liana Bannon, but promising things lie ahead undoubtedly.