Coming out of last season, the optimism amid the Southern Regional gymnastics team was high. Not only were the nine Rams on the squad last year going to be more experienced, but they were all slated to return to the team – a cycle of circumstance many coaches would embrace in a heartbeat.

“We’ve always had a full team this season, which is awesome, and our gymnasts really did a great job of raising their level,” head coach Paige Peragine said toward the end of last season, in which her Rams…