Corgan, Prime lead YMCA gymnasts
Published 11:46 pm Friday, January 20, 2006
MOULTRIE — Devin Corgan placed first all around and led the Moultrie YMCA’s level 9 gymnastics team to a fourth-place finish in last weekend’s 14th annual Atlanta Crown Invitational at the Gwinnett Arena in Duluth.
And Kenyadah Prime, a 12-year-old in just her second competition at level 8, scored a team-record all around score of 35.90.
Gymnasts from around the U.S. and Canada took part in the competition, considered one of the most prestigious in the country.
The Moultrie YMCA’s levels 8 and 9 teams took part and Corgan and Prime turned in outstanding performances.
“Devin and Kenyadah looked great for this early in the season,” said Moultrie YMCA coach Bob Swadel.
“The level 9s stood out on floor and we had several excellent beam routines in level 8. We had uncharacteristic trouble landing vaults and are bars are getting better.”
Corgan was first on vault, with an 8.95, and on beam, with a 9.20. Her 8.575 on bars and 9.35 in the floor exercise placed second. The 36.075 was best all around in the competition.
Teammate Tara Cowart scored a 33.175 in the 16-and-older age group to place third all around. She was third on floor, in which she scored a 9.10, and on vault and bars.
Leah May was fourth all around in the 14-15 age group with a 33.15. Her 9.25 won on floor and she was fifth on beam with an 8.45.
The level 9 team’s 102.45 was fourth behind champion GymCarolina of Raleigh, N.C., which posted a 104.225; second-place Galaxy Gymnastics of Orangeburg, N.Y., which had a 104.175; and third-place Exper-Teiss Gymnastics of Long Island, N.Y.
The Moultrie YMCA’s level 8 team also placed fourth.
The event was won by the event host Gwinnett Gymnastics, with a 112.125.
The Georgia All-Stars of Woodstock were second, followed by Brandy Johnson’s gymnasts from Orlando, Fla.
Prime was third on vault, with a 9.05; fourth on floor, with a 9.10; and was seventh on beam, with a 9.25.
Kaitlin Tucker, who battled mononucleosis much of last year, continued her comeback with a strong 34.35 for third all around in the 14-and-over age group.
Tucker placed third on bars with an 8.45, fourth on beam with a 9.00 and was fifth on floor with an 8.70.
Krista Wood was the 14-and-older vault champion with an 8.70 and placed sixth on floor with an 8.625. She compiled a 33.975 for fourth place all around.
Heather Scites and Krysta Michael also placed in the all around.
Scites was fifth with a 33.60 that included fourth place finishes on bars with an 8.30 and on floor with an 8.8.
Michael had a 33.40 all around for sixth place. She had a 9.05 good for third on beam.
Arrienne Miller had a 33.30 all around and placed sixth on both beam with an 8.70 and floor with an 8.625.
Rachel Dampier had a 32.90 all around, including a 8.45 on vault for fourth place. First-year level 8 gymnasts Kambria Blakely counted for the team score on vault with an 8.7 and on floor with an 8.725.
The MG’s will compete next in the Hilton Head (S.C.) Invitational on Jan. 28-29 and will go to Panama City, Fla., on Feb. 18-19 for the Edgewater Classic. On Feb. 25-26, the team will take part in what is known as the world’s largest gymnastics meet at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, Fla.
The Georgia USA Gymnastics state meet will be held March 10-12 in Cartersville, and the Moultrie gymnasts will play host to their own meet on May 6-7.