JACKSONVILLE GYMNASTICS
COMPETITIVE TEAM COMPETES NEARLY
83 GYMNASTS THIS WEEKEND
AT PEPSI CHALLENGE
The Jacksonville Gymnastics USAG Junior Olympics Competitive Team, Levels Three through Eight, competed at the large second annual Pepsi Challenge Meet, hosted this weekend by Hot Springs Gymnastics and held at Ouachita Baptist University at Arkadelphia. This meet, which began Friday night and ended Sunday afternoon, had over 479 gymnasts registered, representing 23 teams from Arkansas and Louisiana. Jacksonville Gymnastics Team had over 83 gymnasts registered in this meet. The Team brought home a First-Place Banner, three Second-Place Banners, a Third-Place Banner and an outstanding total score of over 115 points for the Level Three Team, where no team placements are given.
The meet began Friday evening with 71 Level Four gymnasts competing from nine Arkansas Teams. Sunday morning, nine more teams from Arkansas and Louisiana competed 90 Level Four Gymnasts, including 24 of the 28-member Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Four team. In the Sunday afternoon session, nine teams competed 87 Level Three gymnasts, including 13 of the 15-member Level Three team from Jacksonville.
The total event score for vault, bars, beam and floor exercise was even higher for the Jacksonville Level Three team than in their two previous meets. The Team score totaled over 115 points and some of the team members had individual scores as high as 9.850 on the vault, 9.8 on the bars, 9.35 on the beam and 9.5 on the floor. Individual all-around honors for top three places were awarded to the following gymnasts:
Tonie Butler Age 5 First Place 38 points out of 40
Jordan Rogers Age 5 Second Place 36.25
Anja Tech Age 7 Second Place 36.9
Samantha Wade Age 7 Third Place 36.8
Kennedy Driskill Age 10 First Place 37.95
Hayley Paddock Age 10 Second Place 37.7
Nidhi Gandhi Age 11 First Place 37.95
The Jacksonville Gymnasts all ranked so high that several times, our gymnasts of the same age would have the first, second, third and fourth places on the trophy stand. Invariably, Level Three gymnasts will have higher scores than their higher-level teammates.
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Three Team members are shown here after competing in the Pepsi Challenge at Ouachita Baptist University. Shown here front row, from left to right, are Jordan Rogers, Tonie Butler, Sydney McGill, Samantha Wade, Anja Tech, and Allison Shaw. Back row gymnasts are Nidhi Gandhi, Kennedy Driskill, Lauren Anderson, Jessica Gardner, Hayley Paddock, Maggie Lee and Christina Hensley.
Jacksonville Level Four Team Members competed proudly and brought home the second-place Team Banner. It was the first loss of first place in over two years for the Level Four gymnasts but every gymnast on the team competed "strong" and many raised their individual scores. Also, the team score of 111.75 was very close to their record score. Individual all-around awards for the top three places were awarded to the following gymnasts.
Mackenzie Ellis Age 7 Second Place
Madi Spears Age 7 Third Place
Bailea Jones Age 8 First Place
Kendra Lytch Age 8 Second Place
Sara Jane Womack Age 8 Third Place
Amanda Hicks Age 10 Second Place
Natalie Ruiz-Castillo Age 11 Second Place
Madison Winstead Age 12 First Place
Level Four Team Members who competed in the Pepsi Challenge are front row, seated, left to right, Rachel Flippen, Bailea Jones, Kendra Lytch and TaLori Moseby. Standing, first row, left to right, are Alex Taylor, Katie Trujillo, Hannah Taylor, Sara Jane Womack, Madi Spears, Mackenzie Ellis, Lynzie VanBrocklin, Taylor Butler, Savannah Wade and Katherine Taylor. Back row, left to right, are Ashton Bussard, Madison Winstead, Kaylen Perkins, Lexi Webb, Amanda Hicks, Janey'a Hutton, Hayley Henley, Natalie Ruiz-Castillo and Sabrina Barger. Not shown, but also competing was Ashley Harmon.
A total of eighty-one Level Five gymnasts from ten teams competed Saturday morning. Seven more Level Five teams, with 36 gymnasts competed in the noon session, at the same time as Level Seven teams. The thirteen Jacksonville Level Five Team members competed in the Saturday morning session and brought home the Third-Place Team Banner. Top individual all-around awards were awarded to the following gymnasts:
Terra Johnson Age 9 First Place
Samantha Sobba Age 9 Second Place
Kaitlin Soderlund Age 10 Third Place
Kelsy Founds Age 11 Third Place
Level Five Gymnasts, shown here after just winning the Third-Place Team Banner are seated gymnasts Carol Walters, Samantha Sobba, Kaitlin Soderlund and Stephanie Scroggins. Seated on the beam, from left to right, are Marisa Grissom, Caitlyn Dillon, Kimmie Edwards, Cami Wright, Tiffany Maxwell, Terra Johnson, Kelsy Founds and Stephanie Singleton. Also competing, but not shown here is Lauren McKibben.
Forty-one Level Six Gymnasts, who represented twelve Arkansas and Louisiana teams, competed Saturday night with the Levels Eight – Ten. The nine Jacksonville Level Six team members brought home the First-Place Team Banner. Top individual all-around honors were awarded to the following gymnasts:
Haley Edgin Age 8 First Place
Samantha Gray Age 10 Second Place
Tori Hanley Age 11 First Place
Allyson Ferren Age 11 Third Place
Morgan Bussard Age 12 Third Place
Jubilant Level Six gymnasts are shown here after winning the First-Place Team Banner. Seated in front of banner are Haley Edgin and Samantha Gray. Standing, from left to right are April Pitts, Cassidy Eberle, Tori Hanley, Tori Spears, Allyson Ferren, Morgan Bussard and Mackenzie Powers.
In the sport of gymnastics, fewer gymnasts will compete in the higher levels as the skill level and physical requirements become more difficult. The twelve Jacksonville Level Seven gymnasts made up almost a third of the 41 competing gymnasts from ten teams. The team won the Second-Place Team Banner and the top individual all-around honors were awarded to the following gymnasts:
Shannon Mavity Age 13 Second Place
Taja’ Mitchem Age 13 Third Place
Audrey Nettles Age 14 Second Place
Level Seven Gymnasts proudly display their banner, after winning Second-Place Team Banner. The gymnasts, kneeling, left to right, are: Brooke Nevins, Krista Carlisle, Kierra Daniel and Madison Ellis. Seated behind and holding the banner, left to right, are: Shannon Mavity, Hannah Womack, Taja' Mitchem, Sissy Ghormley, Courtney Ellis, Missy Whittecar and Rene'e LaFort.
Twenty-three Level Eight gymnasts from seven teams, plus four Level Nine gymnasts and one Level Ten gymnast--representing three teams--competed Saturday night. Five of the six Jacksonville Level Eight Team members competed and won the Second-Place Team Banner. The team members brought home the following individual all-around honors:
Taylor Rai Johnson Age 12 Third Place
Kayla Edgin Age 12 Fourth Place
Kelsey Lerner Age 14 Second Place
Sarah McAlister Age 14 Third Place
Jessica Wilde Age 16 Third Place
The sixth Level Eight team member, Bonnie Brown, is sidelined for the time being with illness.
These Level Eight gymnasts had such a good meet and they seemed to be so happy. We couldn't tell if they were giddy because they had done so well or because the meet was over, but at any rate, they had competed very well. Holding their Second Place Banner, left to right, are Kayla Edgin, Taylor Rai Johnson, Sarah McAlister, Kelsey Lerner and Jessica Wilde.
We do want to thank Hot Springs for their great meet - it takes a lot of work to put on a meet, especially one of this size. Thank you for your hospitality.
All Levels of the Huff ‘n Puff-based team will next compete the weekend of January 7th at the Yankee Doodle Dandy meet hosted by Flip Flop Gymnastics at the Pine Bluff Civic Center.
(Editor's note - uh, oh, this is becoming a habit! Concrete benches are mighty hard after twelve hours first day and eight hours second day - but just think how long it is for our dedicated coaches - aren't they great! We have every right to be so proud of our team and coaches!!!) Second note - I apologize - this was completed at 3:00 a.m. Monday morning and I know there were misspellings (I just didn't realize how many - ha!)- hopefully I will be able to correct those today.