TIFTON — The Tift County Gym Devils roared into action last Friday with a meet at Colquitt County and head coach Jodi Roberts said her squad was on track to have another great season.

“Friday went very well,” said Roberts.

Tift lost by four-tenths of a point to Lowndes to finish second.

Roberts said one event seemed particularly jinxed: the balance beam. Every Gym Devil slipped on it, she said.

“I have expectations to go to state,” she said.

The Gym Devils are longtime participants and won two consecutive state crowns in 2011-12.

Seven gymnasts are on the team this season for Tift County: Lexi Cavanaugh, Ali Stone, Rylee Watson, Emily Futch, Briana Nelson, Elyssa Roberts and Caroline Miller. Futch will be the team captain and Miller serves as manager.

Cavanaugh, Stone and Watson are newcomers.

“All three of them are great,” said Roberts.

Nelson was not able to compete at the meet in Moultrie as she is recovering from injuries suffered in a car accident. Roberts believes she will be active at the next meet, which will be March 8.

Roberts qualified for the state tournament in 2016 on vault, floor exercise, balance beam and parallel bars as well as all-around. Futch qualified in vault and as the Gym Devils made state as a team, she was additionally able to compete on beam at the tournament. Nelson was a state competitor on bars.

Unfortunately, the squad will not have Khloe Parker.

Parker, a junior, has battled injuries and decided not to compete this season. Roberts is hopeful Parker will be back in 2017.

Joining the squad on the sidelines is Erica Tucker, Roberts’ assistant.

Roberts said Tucker had a background in competition cheerleading.

“She’ll be an asset for floor and beam,” Roberts said.

The Tift team will be a young one, but one expected to grow strong in a hurry.

“In the next two to three years, we’re going to be really, really good,” Roberts said.

The Gym Devils will be out of action until March 8, when they have a meet at the Thomasville YMCA hosted by Thomas County Central.

Two days later, they travel to Ola High in McDonough for a meet. Roberts is particularly excited about competing at Ola as the state meet will be held there this year.

The remainder of the schedule has a meet at Colquitt County March 25, another meet at Thomas County Central March 29 and the Tift County Invitational March 31 before the state prelims April 15.

The Tift County Invitational, which was washed out last year because of bad weather, will include Colquitt County, Lowndes, Jones County and a newcomer, Washington County. Washington did not compete as a gymnastics team in the Georgia High School Association last year.