TIFTON — Tift County High’s gymnastics team begins its season today at North Oconee High and head coach Jodi Roberts is ready to get the campaign started.

“I’m optimistic,” said Roberts. “I’m hopeful.”

Tift is slated to take on North Oconee and Madison County at the meet. Roberts has heard good things about North Oconee’s squad.

The TCHS Gym Devils have six athletes on the roster.

“Small but good,” said Roberts.

Two are freshmen, Kenslee Ann Webb and Alyssa Wallace. Webb is a member of the competition cheer team this year.

Returning to the squad are Elyssa Roberts, Rylee Watson, Lexi Cavanaugh and Briana Nelson.

Tift, which has two state championships in team history (2011, 2012), is working back to the state tournament. The team missed out on competing as a team last year, but did have an individual gymnast participating.

Roberts qualified for the state tournament in 2017, finishing fifth on vault, eighth on bars and ninth all-around.

Coach Roberts said Elyssa has added more difficulty to her bars routine, as has Watson.

Webb’s specialties will be balance beam and floor exercise, she said. Wallace can perform in all events.

Tift County will have one more event in February, a middle Georgia meet hosted by Jones County and First Presbyterian Day Feb. 17.

In March, the team competes at Thomas County Central on the 7th and at Colquitt County on the 10th before hosting their only home meet of the season, set for the 24th.

State preliminaries will be April 14, with state to take place at Ola High in Henry County on the 20th.