Web Release February 3, 2008
It was a fun time for the Jacksonville Gymnasts, coaches and parents this weekend at the Annual Shreveport Louisiana Cup Meet held at the Centenary College Gold Dome and which was hosted by AcroSports. The fun started Friday night when the Centenary Ladies Gymnastics team competed against Illinois State. College gymnastics is generally a step or two above our levels and is an inspiration to our gymnasts to know what they can accomplish if they put their mind to it.
Almost four hundred gymnasts from twenty teams competed in the six-session meet that began Saturday morning and ended Sunday afternoon. The teams, from Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas, competed gymnasts from Levels Two through Ten.
The meet began early Saturday morning at 8:00 with Level Four gymnasts, ages ten and above, and all Level Six gymnasts. The remainder of the Level Four gymnasts competed in the second session for a total for both sessions of ninety Level Four gymnasts from fourteen teams, competing in both sessions, including the fifteen Jacksonville gymnasts who attended the meet. The Jacksonville Level Four Team won the Fourth-Place Team Banner out of six banners awarded to the fourteen teams. Since the team competed at two different sessions, the photo may not show all the gymnasts. Those attending were seven-year-old Allison Ramsey; eight-years-old Sarah Beavers, Miranda Chambers, Sara Heil, Abby Houghtaling, Sydney McGill, Lakyn Powers and Mattie Taylor. Sarah Seibel, who had planned to compete, ended up with the flu and was unable to attend. Nine-year-old gymnasts who attended were Sydney Baggerly, Sierra Rohauer and Skylar Spaeth. Ten-year-old gymnasts were Ashley Hudson, Briyana Isaac and Maggie Lee; and Jessica Gardner competed as an eleven-year-old.
This was a tough meet for the Level Four gymnasts. We usually consider a 9.00 a good score on any event, but nines did not mean that much in this meet. For example, Mattie Taylor earned 9.4 on vault and placed eighth out of 25 eight-year-olds. Similar such scores may have brought a 14th place. For this Level Four session, I will list event top honors awarded (first, second or third).
Allison Ramsey age seven Floor 8.8 Third out of nine gymnasts
Abby Houghtaling age eight Vault 9.7 Second out of 25 gymnasts
Sara Beavers age eight Bars 9.05 Third out of 25 gymnasts
Sydney McGill age eight Beam 9.25 Second out of 25 gymnasts
Floor 9.20 Second out of 25 gymnasts
And Sydney McGill proudly won Second-Place Individual All-Around Award.
Level Four Gymnasts that I was able to catch after the second session of the Level Fours. From left to right are Lakyn Powers, Sara Heil, Sierra Rohauer, Skylar Spaeth, Miranda Chambers, Mattie Taylor, Abby Houghtaling, Allison Ramsey and Sarah Beavers. Standing on the back row, left to right are Jessica Gardner and Briyana Isaac The Level Four gymnasts won the Fourth-Place Team Banner.
We had to hurry and get the photos completed for the team and someone mentioned that a couple gymnasts were unavailable at the time. Sydney McGill and Maggie Lee are shown here.
I was able to get this photo of Jessica Gardner and Ashley Hudson after the first session - Ashley was unable to stay for the second session.
I had this picture from last meet of Sydney Baggerly. I think this covers the Level Four Gymnasts who competed at Shreveport. Thanks gymnasts and parents for representing Jacksonville Gymnastics so proudly in this meet. We have made a lot of friends at this meet and some are looking forward to coming to our Sweetheart Invitational next year.
The Jacksonville Team Level Six gymnasts competed in the early morning session with 25 gymnasts from eight teams. I have commented before that there are fewer gymnasts at Level Six because of the strict requirements for that level. Five of the seven Jacksonville Level Six Team members attended the meet and won the First –Place Team award. The following Individual All-Around honors were awarded to:
Tonie Butler age eight won First-Place Individual All Around
Mackenzie Ellis age nine won Second-Place Individual All-Around
Kendra Lytch age ten won First-Place Individual All-Around
Jessica McDonough age twelve won Fourth-Place Individual All-Around
Stephanie Singleton age thirteen won Third-Place Individual All-Around
Shown here are the proud winners of the First-Place Team Banner - Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Six Gymnasts from left to right are Stephanie Singleton, Tonie Butler, Jessica McDonough, Mackenzie Ellis and Kendra Lytch.
Competing in the third session of the day were 57 Level Seven gymnasts from fifteen teams, along with older Level Eight gymnasts. Six of the eight Jacksonville Level Seven gymnasts competed at this time; they won the Third-Place Team Banner and the following individual all-around awards:
Taylor Butler age ten won Second-Place Individual All-Around
Samantha Gray age twelve won First-Place Individual All-Around
Tori Spears age thirteen won Second-Place Individual All-Around
Kelsy Founds age thirteen won Third-Place Individual All-Around
Level Seven gymnasts shown here from left to right are Taylor Butler, Tori Spears, Mackenzie Powers, Kimmie Edwards, Kelsy Founds and Samantha Gray.
In the last session, four of the six Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Eight Team members competed with a total of fifty Level Eight gymnasts from thirteen teams, and they won the Third-Place Team Banner. Additionally, nineteen Level Nine Gymnasts from ten teams, and six Level Ten gymnasts from four teams, competed at the same session. Kayla Edgin, our fourteen-year-old Level Nine gymnast, also competed in this session and she won Second-Place Individual All Around for the senior division.
Individual honors for the Level Eight team were:
Courtney Ellis age twelve won Fourth-Place Individual All-Around
Tori Hanley age thirteen won Third-Place Individual All-Around
Taylor Johnson age thirteen won Sixth-Place Individual All-Around
Sarah McAlister age fifteen won First-Place Individual All-Around
Level Eight gymnasts from Jacksonville Gymnastics, shown above from left to right are Tori Hanley, Sarah McAlister, Taylor Rai Johnson, Sissy Ghormley and Courtney Ellis. Not shown and unable to compete yet, but always there to support her team was Haley Edgin. This is our "Central Arkansas" team. Cities of Beebe, North Little Rock, Alexandria-Bryant area, Sherwood and Cabot are represented here. Gymnasts, you make us so proud. You have come a long way!!!!
Kayla Edgin, our Level Nine Gymnast, has done so well. We're so proud of her for her accomplishments and proud of her for being our first Level Nine gymnast. Others will be following in her footsteps next year. It takes a lot of hard work and dedication to attain this level.
Eleven of the fifteen-member Level Five team gymnasts competed Sunday morning with 74 gymnasts from thirteen teams; and the home team proudly won the Second-Place Team Banner. Winning top individual all-around honors were:
Anna Faith Camp age ten won First-Place Individual All-Around
Lynzie VanBrocklin age nine won Third-Place Individual All-Around
Level Five Team Members with Second Place Team Banner - Way to Go, Level Five!!!!!
From Left to right Bailea Jones, Katelin McLain, Katherine Taylor, Anna Faith Camp, Hannah Taylor, Madi Spears, Sabrina Barger, Rachel Flippen, Lynzie VanBrocklin, Jordan Rogers and Halle Maddox. Katy Gorden came down with the flu and could not attend.
Jacksonville gymnasts and coaches – we cannot tell you how proud we are of you. You did a fantastic job!!!!! We want to also thank those Level Four gymnasts and parents who came back to cheer on our Optionals. We all appreciated your efforts!
FIRST-PLACE INDIVIDUAL ALL-AROUND WINNERS
Level Five, Ten-Year-Old Anna Faith Camp
Level Six, Eight-Year-Old Tonie Butler
Level Six - Ten-Year-Old Kendra Lytch
Level Seven - Twelve-year-old Samantha Gray
Level Eight - Fifteen-year-old Sarah McAlister - Congratulations, Sarah!You have worked so hard and this was a very special win. We are so proud of you and your teammates!
Fourteen-year-old Kayla Edgin who won Level Nine Second-Place Individual All-Around is shown here with her ten-year-old Level Eight sister, Haley. We didn't get Haley in the team picture, so we included her here. Haley will be back competing soon (we hope!)
Parents, I apologize for errors - when I do these so late at night, I probably make many and I don't always get back to recheck.
We're excited about our meet coming up February 15-16-17 - check home page to click for details. Please plan to join us and support all the teams that weekend.