Portage used its depth to upend Valparaiso 112.475-112.250 in a gymnastics battle between the state's top-two ranked teams Wednesday night.
"They girls were very focused and tired of losing to them," Indians coach Karen Barcelli said. "They went in with the intention of winning the meet."
Mackenzie Barcelli placed second in all-around (37.95); Danielle Solis was third (37.3) and Madison Kurtz fourth (37.225). Solis also placed first on vault (9.825).
Valparaiso's Morgan Algozine won all-around (38.675), bars (9.6), beam (9.675) and floor (9.7).
Barcelli said the win gives the team confidence in the Duneland Atheletic Conference meet and the postseason.
"Nerves have been a factor before," Barcelli said. "We weren't flawless. The girls know they made mistakes.
"We know we have to do this four more times against (Valparaiso)."
Girls Basketball
Class A Oregon-Davis Sectional: Westville and Marquette's seasons came to an end during Wednesday's play.
Colleen Falk scored a team-high 11 points, but the Blazers lost 52-22 to Argos.
Shaina Jacks had nine points, but the host Bobcats defeated the Blackhawks 83-18.
Prep tennis
Hayes to be honored: Gary Hayes has been named the recipient of the Indiana High School Tennis Coaches Association's 2013 Ed Yarbrough Community Service Award for his years of commitment to tennis.
Hayes coached 32 years in boys tennis and 13 in girls tennis, most recently at Portage, where he was voted the District 1 Coach of the Year for the fall of 2012 after leading the Indians boys to a 16-3 record.
He amassed 540 victories and 21 sectional titles in a career that started in 1969 and included stints at West Side, Wirt, Lake Station, Griffith and Portage. Hayes, who is the boys basketball coach at Griffith, will receive the award Friday in Indianapolis.
The award honors the memory of Yarbrough, the all-time victory leader in Indiana high school tennis who died in June 2010 after 40 years as coach at Jasper.
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