MOULTRIE — This past weekend, the MG’s competed in the Rose City Invitational in Thomasville, Ga.

The meet was held at the Butler Mason YMCA by the Thomasville Twisters Gymnastics team.

“It felt good to see the gymnasts back competing and seeing everyone smiling even in a mask.  All 20 of our Moultrie YMCA gymnasts qualified for the USA State meet. What a way to start the season,” said Gymnastics Director Pat Murphy.   

The MG’s began the weekend with the Xcel Bronze and Silver level gymnasts. It was the first meet for all of our bronze gymnasts.  

Ansley Lane scored the highest AA in the JR division, 36.25 for 1st place. She also placed 1st on bars, 9.1 and floor, 9.25.  Lane placed 3rd on vault, 8.9 and on beam, 9.0.

Nolie Thompson scored the team’s next highest score AA 36.00 scoring 1st place in SR division. She earned 1st places on bars, 9.05 beam, 9.15, floor, 9.2 and 3rd on vault, 8.6.

Naomi De-La-Cruz placed 2nd AA with a 35.75 for 2nd place in the SR age group.  Naomi placed 1st on beam, 9.15, 2nd on vault and 3rd on bars and floor.

Also in the SR group, was Reese Medders finishing 3rd on AA with a 35.675. Reese placed 2nd on bars and floor, 9.075 and 3rd on vault and beam.

“The bronze team performed well in their first away competition and their strongest event is floor. I saw lots of good form on that event,” said Coach Dawn Harvell.

The team placed 2nd scoring 108.725.  

The Xcel Silver team placed 1st with the score of 110.45.

 “This team had a great meet; their scores reflected that with everyone scoring a nine on the uneven bars,” said Coach Becky Reagan.  

Eliza Jane Reagan led the silver team with a 1st place AA in the JR A group scoring a 36.7 her best score.

EJ placed 1st on vault, 9.25 and bars, 9.5 her personal bests and 1st on floor, 9.25.  She was 4th on beam, 8.7.

Joselyn Juarez, SR A was 1st AA with a 36.35.  

This was her first meet in this level, 1st vault, 9.15 and bars, 9.45, 2nd on floor and 3rd on beam.

Carley Jackson placed 2nd in the SR A with an AA score of 36.2, her best. Carley placed 2nd on all the other events with personal bests on bars, 9.3 and floor, 9.05.  

JR B division, Joslyn Merritt tied the MG record on bars with a 9.55 for 1st place. She also placed 1st on beam, 9.05 and AA 36.1 her best scores ever.  Joslyn placed 2nd on vault and 3rd on floor.  

Teammate Emma Thompson, new at the silver level, placed 1st on beam, 2nd on bars both scoring a 9.3.  

She placed 2nd on vault, 3rd AA, 35.85 and 4th floor.

Raley Merritt placed 2nd on bars, 9.075, beam and floor, 8.9 her personal best score.  She finished 3rd on vault and AA with a 35.575.

Another first timer at this level was Kenya Poblete placing 1st on beam, 9.1.  She earned 2nd on bars, 9.15, and 3rd on vault and AA with a 35.35.

It would have been Callee Golden’s first meet too but she had a fall at her first event on the vault and was unable to finish the meet.   

The Xcel Gold team won first place with a score of 106.4

The highest scoring gymnast was Kayla Scroggins with her personal best score of 35.1 for 1st place in the SR division.

Kayla broke the MG team record on the uneven bars with a 9.35 also 1st place. She placed 1st on beam, 2nd on floor and 3rd vault.  

Leah Shaw in the SR age group broke the MG team record on vault with a 9.45, best score finishing in 1st place.  She earned a 1st on floor, 9.0, 2nd on beam and AA 34.95 and 3rd on bars.

SR Ansley Key had her best score on the vault, 9.25 for 2nd place.  She also placed 3rd on beam and AA with a 33.7.  

The JR age group was led by first meet for Bella Raleigh placing 1st on AA with a 34.55, and 1st on vault, 9.0 and bars.  

Ashton Robinson was in the same age group placing 4th AA 32.7 and her highest score was on the bars, 8.5. It was her first meet at this new level.

In the child age group was first timer, Nataleigh Bryant placing 1st on AA, 33.45 and 1st on vault, bars and floor, 9.05.   

“I was proud of the last year’s three gymnasts who worked hard to break their own personal records. Then the three new gymnasts, who just learned their floor routine one weekend before the meet, did an excellent job too.  It showed great team work, I was happy for the team to win the 1st place award,” said Coach Dawn Harvell.  

For the level 6 team, Alayah Copeland-Lambert led the team with her AA score. She earned first place on all events, vault (8.65), bars, (8.9), beam (9.15), and on floor (9.2). She was the AA champion of her age group with an AA score of 35.9.  

Eva Kirbo placed 1st on vault, 9.1, beam, 9.45, and floor, 9.25 all her personal highest scores in this level.

Kirbo placed 3rd on bars and first on AA in the Sr B age group with a 35.8.

Her teammate in the same age group, Samantha Oler competed in her first level 6 meet placing 3rd AA with a 33.6.  

She placed 2nd on bars, 8.05 and 3rd on the other events with her highest score on the floor, 9.0.

 “All three of our athletes started their USA Gymnastics season by qualifying for the state meet and the team took home the first place banner. Missions accomplished,” said Coach Bob Swadel.

The level 6 team placed 1st with a team score of 105.3.

Nyla Thompson, level 8, was injured and unable to compete.

Our next meet will be held at the Moultrie YMCA the last weekend of February.