Early last December, Francesca Verdi shattered her right ankle doing a floor exercise routine. After surgery to repair the injury later that month, the then-Southern Regional High School freshman began the lengthy process of rehabilitation, which took several months.

Finally cleared to get back to gymnastics over the summer, the sophomore entered this year’s high school season a bit more slowly than she may have wanted, taking on a more limited role than last fall, when she competed all-around…