MGs win first-place banners in Red, White and You meet

Published 7:29 pm Saturday, April 18, 2015

MOULTRIE — This past weekend, the Moultrie YMCA Gymnastics hosted its 10th annual gymnastics meet.

More than 130 gymnasts from surrounding areas, as well as Pensacola, McDonough, Savannah and Columbus, took part.

The MGs had many girls break personal records and they also had many gymnasts compete for the first time.

“This was a successful fundraiser for the MGs this year,” said Coach Pat Murphy-Meier. “We had 10 teams come to the meet and it was good to have some gyms come that had never been to our meet before.”

The level 3s started the day of competition and finished first overall with a team score of 108.75.

Ashlyn Faucett led her team for the day by placing first on vault with a contributing team score of a 9.375. She also placed first on bars with a 9.175 and first on beam with a score of 8.925, which also contributed toward the team score. Fawcett finished the meet with her fourth 36.45 all-around.

Caylee Harrison was the second highest scoring level 3 and had a personal best on vault with a score of 9.15. She also placed first on bars with an 8.8 and on beam with a score of 8.5. Harrison finished first all-around with a score of 35.425.

Madison Faircloth had personal bests on vault with a tremendous 9.475, which was the highest score for the MGs on vault, and a personal best on bars with a 9.15. Both scores contributed to the teams winning score. She also finished second on beam with an 8.0 and second on floor with an 8.575. Faircloth finished the competition with a personal best all-around 35.20, which will advance her to the next competitive level.

Nyla Thompson contributed to the team score on bars with a score of 9.025, which placed her first in her group. She also placed first on vault with a 9.2 and second on floor with a 9.05. Thompson finished the meet with an all-around score of 35.15.

Annabelle Gonzales had a personal best on bars scoring an 8.55, which placed her third. She contributed to the team score on beam with an 8.375 and placed third on floor with an 8.525. Gonzales finished second all-around with a score of 34.675.

Jacey Williams placed second on vault with an 8.75, on beam with an 8.375, and on floor with a 9.075. Her 9.075 contributed to the teams score. Williams placed second all-around with a score of 34.55.

Tatum Salter contributed to the teams score on vault with 9.375 and on floor with a 9.125. Her 9.375 placed her first in her group and her 9.125 placed her second. Salter placed third on bars with an 8.5 and finished the meet with a score of 34.40.

Brooklyn James placed third on bars with an 8.55 and second on floor with an 8.8. Her 8.8 was her highest score of the meet. James placed second all-around with a 34.125.

Christina Cox placed second on beam with an 8.5 and third on floor with an 8.65. She scored an 8.95 on vault, which was her highest score of the meet. Cox finished third all-around with a score of 34.05.

Ellery McBryde had a personal best on bars with a score of 8.5. She placed fourth on vault with a 9.05, which was her highest score of the day. McBryde also placed second on beam with an 8.05 and finished fourth overall with a score of 33.875.

Morgaine Leroux had a personal best on vault with a score of 9.2 and on floor with a 9.0. She also placed third on bars with an 8.65. Leroux placed fifth all-around with a 33.80.

Alexus Cravey had personal bests on vault, bars, and in her all-around. She scored a 9.025 on vault, and an 8.65 on bars, which placed her second on both events. Cravey finished fourth all-around a score of 33.50 and qualified to the Spring Compulsory State Meet.

Paige Burnette placed third on vault with a 9.10 and on floor with an 8.75. Her 9.10 was her highest score of the meet. Burnette finished fourth all-around with a score of 33.425.

Eva Kirbo scored an 8.9 on vault, which placed her fourth in her group and was her highest score of the meet. She also placed fifth on bars and beam with an 8.05. Kirby placed fifth all-around with a score of 33.25.

Jaylee Williams had a personal best on floor with an 8.6, placing her fourth in her group. She also placed fourth on vault with an 8.7. Williams finished the meet with a 33.025 all-around.

“Many of the level 3s broke personal records,” said Coach Bria Blakely. “At this meet, our weakest events were our strongest and they are beginning to improve all-around.”

Jamiah Bentley injured her elbow and was not able to compete at the meet.

The level 2 team scored a 108.95 to win over the Islands YMCA from Savannah.  The Moultrie team had 22 level 2 girls compete with 11 of them in their first meet.

Madison Cooper, Audrey Bazal, Anna Kate Hightower, Ava Fields and Jewel Griner-Hart moved to the team in January.

Cooper placed first on vault, 9.1 and second on beam, 8.575, floor, 9.1 and AA 35.675 and third on bars with an 8.9.  Madison counted towards the team score on the floor. Hightower finished second on bars, third on vault scoring an 8.85 on both and fourth AA with a 34.475, Bazal placed eighth with a 33.2, Griner-Hart placed fifth AA with a 32.4 and Fields placed sixth with a 30.9.

A new group was formed this season called the Home Team in which gymnasts had to try out.  We chose eight girls to be on the team and prepare to compete in our home meets. These girls were all competing for the first time.

Gabrielle Smith led the home team placing third on vault, 9.0 and AA 34.3 in the SR A age group.  In the same group were team mates Nicole Swarzentruber who earned second on vault, 9.1 and third on beam, 8.5 and floor, 8.55 plus fifth AA with a 33.9, Rose Cooper who placed sixth 33.575, Catie Ulakovits placed seventh AA with a 33.35 and Asonte Baker finished ninth AA with a 32.7.

In the JR D, Chandler Horne placed second on vault, 8.9 and fifth AA with a 33.9.

Sisters Kiersten and Kylee Mathis did well, with Kiersten placed 10th AA, JR C with a 32.2. Kylee placed seventh AA, JR A with a 28.7.

“Wow this home team had an excellent meet only practicing three hours per week since January. They memorized all the routines and looked sharp,” said Coach Dawn Harvell.

Lathan Brown led the entire level 2 team by scoring first place in the AA with a 35.875 in the JR A division. She broke an MG record on bars with an outstanding score of 9.425, which also contributed to the team score and was the highest score of the meet. Brown also placed first on beam with an 8.65, on floor with an 8.925.

Also in the same age group, Becca Clayton had a personal best on vault scoring a 9.15 and on bars scoring an 8.9. Her 9.15 counted toward the team score and placed her first on that event. She also placed second on beam with an 8.55, floor with an 8.6 and AA 35.2.

JR A Julianne Thompson earned a personal best on Vault, 9.15 to count for team.  Thompson placed third on bars, 8.65 her best, beam, 8.2 and AA 34.4.

Emily Lampman was the second highest scoring level 2 for the day. She counted toward the team score on bars with a 9.225, which placed her first and 8.775 on beam, second on vault, 8.85 and third on floor, 8.6.  Lampman finished the meet first in her JR B group with a 35.45 AA.

Right behind her was Savana Mackie who placed second AA with a 34.925 in the same group.  Mackie counted for the team score on vault, 9.3, first and placed second on floor, 8.8 and third on beam, 8.425.    JR C, Sara Cooper had a personal best on bars and counted for team score on beam and floor. She placed second on vault, 9.05, and third on beam and floor, 9.05.

Kenlee Dalton in the same age group placed second beam, 8.85 and floor, 9.075. Ansley Key finished ninth with 32.975 in that group.

JR D Ashley Strange had her best on bars with an 8.6 for third. Strange also placed second beam, 8.675 and third AA 34.45.

Ellie Ladson earned her personal best and first nine on bars, 9.0 to place second in the SR A division.

“I saw a huge improvement on bars due to straighter arms on their skills,” said Coach Wendy Scites. “Many of the level 2s went up at one tenth in their score.”

The level 4 team placed second overall with a score of 106.45, one point behind Gymnastics Unlimited from Columbus.

Seaven Shorter was the highest scoring level 4 for the meet. She placed first on vault with a personal best 9.025, an 8.875 on beam, and a 9.025 on floor. All three events contributed to the team score. Shorter placed second on bars with an 8.85 and first AA with a personal best score of 35.775.

Gracie White was the second highest scoring level 4. She had a personal best on beam with a score of 8.75, which landed her a first place finish. She also contributed to the team score on bars with an 8.7 that placed her second in her group. White finished the meet first in her group with a score of 34.70.

Tyliyah Smith placed first on floor with a 9.1, which counted toward the team score, and placed first on vault with an 8.55. She also placed second on bars with an 8.4 and third on beam with an 8.2. Smith finished the meet with a score of 34.25.

Brandalyn Fitz placed first on bars in her group with an 8.65, on beam with an 8.875, and on floor with an 8.75. Her 8.875 on beam contributed to the team score. Fitz placed first AA with a 34.175.

Hayley Hamm contributed to the team score on vault with a score of 8.6 and placed second on beam with an 8.275. Hamm also had a personal best on bars with an 8.4 and finished the meet with a 33.925.

Mackenzie Smith placed first on floor with an 8.8 and second on bars with an 8.25. Smith finished third on vault with an 8.35 and placed second AA with a score of 33.9, .025 points behind Hamm.

Bethany Holman had personal bests on vault, bars, beam, and in her all-around. She placed second on vault with an 8.6, first on beam with an 8.925, and third on bars with an 8.2. Her 8.925 counted toward the team score. Holman finished the meet third with an AA score of 33.875.

Jaiden Lane counted toward the team score on bars with an 8.9, which placed her first. She also placed second on beam with an 8.7 and on floor with an 8.45. Lane placed second with an AA score of 33.80. Addie Hamner placed fourth on vault with an 8.475 and finished the meet fifth with an AA score of 32.4.

Tayte Braswell finished third on vault with an 8.15 and on beam with an 8.225. Her highest score of the meet was on floor with a score of 8.625. Braswell finished the meet fourth with a score of 33.225.

Marlie Daniels placed fourth on vault with an 8.025 and finished the meet fifth with a score of 31.85.

Shannon Icard, level 5, had personal bests on vault, bars, beam, and in her AA. She placed first on bars with an 8.5, on beam with an 8.65, and floor with an 8.55. She also placed second on vault with an 8.5. Icard finished the meet with a 34.20.

Ava White had personal bests on bars and in the AA. She placed second on bars with an 8.05 and on beam with an 8.15. She also placed third on vault with an 8.3, which was her highest score of the meet. White placed second AA with a score of 32.70.

The optional team competed in the last session of the weekend.

Timia Fowler competed AA for the first time in three years. She has been battling a knee injury and is beginning to get back fully into the sport. She placed first on all events. She scored an 8.9 on vault, an 8.65 on floor and an 8.3 on bars. Fowler finished the meet with an AA score of 33.90, which qualified her to YMCA Nationals.

Jordan Yates placed second on vault with an 8.8 and second on floor with an 8.525. She also placed second on beam with an 8.3. Yates scored a 32.625 AA, placing her second in her group.

Evelyn Fagan finished third on floor with an 8.175 and third on vault with an 8.6. Fagan finished the meet third with a 31.375 AA.

Sterlyn Austin, level 10, placed first on floor with a high score of 9.5, which broke the MG floor record for level 10. Her 9.5 was also her personal best of the season. She also placed first on vault with an 8.9 and first on beam with an 8.425. Austin finished the meet first with a score of 34.85 AA.

“Sterlyn’s floor routine was the best of this season. The form in her leaps, jumps and tumbling looked sharper,” said Coach Allen Harden. “I was really proud of Timia for making her qualifying score and I’m excited for her to be a part of the team at Y Nationals.”

All of the compulsory gymnasts made it to state and will compete in the Spring Compulsory State Meet in Buford.

The optional gymnasts on the high school team will compete in the Area Meet and Sterlyn Austin will compete in the USA Level 10 Regional meet in Bradenton, Fla.