Veteran leadership will guide the Sharon High School gymnastics team this winter

Senior tri-captains Cori Plesko, Sara Spelfogel and Melissa Steinberg are among the returnees from last year's Hockomock League championship team, which finished the regular season 8-0.

First-year co-coaches Jess Savrann and Jamie Whiting also are returnees of sorts. Both were Eagles captains -- and teammates -- during their Sharon High careers. Whiting graduated in 2005 and Savrann in 2007. They take over as coaches from Jessica Hiltz, who stepped down after one season to accept a job elsewhere.

Sharon open its 2011-2012 season at 8:30 p.m. Monday at Oliver Ames.

Spelfogel and Steinberg are in their fourth year on the team, Savrann says. Both of them will do the vault and the floor.

"They're really enthusiastic about gymnastics, and work really hard in practice," Savrann says.

Plesko returns as a captain for the second straight year, and brings that experience to the team, Savrann says. However, Plesko will miss the season due to injury, Savrann says.

Juniors Jessica Chabot and Sami Kaplan most likely will do all-around.

"They both made it to state individuals last year and put up really good numbers," Savrann says.

At that meet, Kaplan placed second three times: all around (37.725), beam (9.475) and floor (9.55). Kaplan also placed third in the vault (9.4) and fourth in the bars (9.3).

Chabot, meanwhile, scored an 8.25 on the beam, an 8.975 on the floor and an 8.75 on the bars.

Junior Alicia Dagle also scored an 8.7 on the beam and a 7.3 on the bars at that meet.

"She's really strong in all four events," Savrann says.

Sharon's other veterans are juniors Cari Schmidt and Emily Wooten, and sophomores Johanna El-Khoury, Marielle Fisher and Chelsea Noller.

The Eagles' roster also includes senior Brian Lee; sophomores Jordyn Kim, Erin Moore and Ben Schwarzchild; and freshman Mia Kamara.

"We're definitely strongest on vaults and floor," Savrann says.

"The majority of our athletes are looking to compete on those two events."