Mt. Pleasant’s Olivia Kovach dethrones 3-time champ to win WPIAL all-around gymnastics title

By: Triblive
Saturday, February 8, 2025 | 11:08 PM

Mt. Pleasant junior Olivia Kovach dethroned three-time champion Abby Rexrode of Baldwin in the all-around at the WPIAL gymnastics championships Saturday at Moon.

Kovach, who was runner-up in the all-around last year, used a first-place finish with a 9.8 score in the beam to claim the Advanced Division championship. She finished second in the bars (9.3), fifth in the vault (9.65) and sixth on the floor (9.45).

Rexrode won the bars (9.4), finished second in the vault (9.75) and the beam (9.2) and third on the floor (9.55).

The final margin of victory was three-tenths of a point: 38.2 for Kovach to 37.9 for Rexrode.

Montour’s Eliana Knause won the vault (9.775) and finished third in the all-around (37.475). North Allegheny’s Sarah Patterson won the floor (9.7) and took fifth in the all-around (36.65). Freeport’s Andie Ehalt was fourth in the all-around (36.8).

Thomas Jefferson (141.975) edged out North Allegheny (141.425) for the team title Friday. Central Valley was third, followed by Baldwin, Beaver and West Allegheny.

Thomas Jefferson’s Riley Barna won the all-around title in the Intermediate I Division. She won the vault and finished second in the bars and beam. North Catholic’s Abby Getch won the bars and beam. Thomas Jefferson’s Cam Noderer won the floor.

In the Intermediate II Division, Kiski Area’s Ellie Arnold won the all-around, finishing first in the vault and second in the beam. Chartiers Valley’s Brooke Bittner won the bars, Beaver’s Rylie Teapole the beam and Central Valley’s Jenna Zurynski the floor.

WPIAL championships

Saturday’s results

At Moon

Advanced Division

Vault

1. Eliana Knause, Montour, 9.775

2. Abby Rexrode, Baldwin, 9.750

3. Hannah Seidl, North Allegheny, 9.725

4. Andie Ehalt, Freeport, 9.700

5. Olivia Kovach, Mt. Pleasant, 9.650

6. Sarah Patterson, North Allegheny, 9.600

7. Kaylee Kelly, Norwin, 9.450

8. Alayna Kelly, South Side, 9.30

9. Madeleine Wingefter, Oakland Catholic, 9.150

10. Clara Mah, Fox Chapel, 8.900

Bars

1. Abby Rexrode, Baldwin, 9.400

2. Olivia Kovach, Mt. Pleasant, 9.300

3. Bria Zelesnik, Central Valley, 9.275

4. Eliana Knause, Montour, 9.250

5. Andie Ehalt, Freeport, 9.200

6. Caroline DiRenzo, North Allegheny, 9.000

7. Clara Mah, Fox Chapel, 8.900

8. Avery Straub, Hampton, 8.900

9. Hannah Seidl, North Allegheny, 8.700

10. Madeleine Wingerter, Oakland Catholic, 8.700

Beam

1. Olivia Kovach, Mt. Pleasant, 9.800

2. Abby Rexrode, Baldwin, 9.200

3. Bria Zelesnik, Central Valley, 9.175

4. Eliana Knause, Montour, 8.800

5. Ella Lattimore, Hampton, 8.800

6. Hannah Seidl, North Allegheny, 8.750

7. Caroline DiRenzo, North Allegheny, 8.750

8. Andie Ehalt, Freeport, 9.200

9. Sarah Patterson, North Allegheny, 8.700

10. Clara Mah, Fox Chapel, 8.550

Floor

1. Sarah Patterson, North Allegheny, 9.700

2. Eliana Knause, Montour, 9.550

3. Abby Rexrode, Baldwin, 9.550

4. CIara Mah, Fox Chapel, 9.500

5. Madeleine Wingerter, Oakland Catholic, 9.500

6. Olivia Kovach, Mt. Pleasant, 9.450

7. Alayna Kelly, South Side, 9.400

8. Andie Ehalt, Freeport, 9.200

9. Hannah Seidl, North Allegheny, 9.200

10. Kaylee Kelly, Norwin, 8.900

All-around

1. Olivia Kovach, Mt. Pleasant, 38.200

2. Abby Rexrode, Baldwin, 37.900

3. Eliana Knause, Montour, 37.475

4. Andie Ehalt, Freeport, 36.800

5. Sarah Patterson, North Allegheny, 36.650

6. Hannah Seidl, North Allegheny, 36.375

7. Clara Mah, Fox Chapel, 35.850

8. Madeleine Wingerter, Oakland Catholic, 35.650

9. Bria Zelesnik, Central Valley, 35.200

10. Caroline DiRenzo, North Allegheny, 35.150

Team

1. Thomas Jefferson, 141.975

2. North Allegheny, 141.425

3. Central Valley, 140.425

4. Baldwin, 139.350

5. Beaver, 136.650

6. West Allegheny, 136.350