JACKSONVILLE GYMNASTS TRAVEL TO SPRINDALE –
BRING HOME FIVE TEAM TROPHIES –
TWO FIRSTS AND THREE SECONDS!
Jacksonville Gymnastics USA Junior Olympic Competitive Team competed this weekend at the Mardi Gras Meet held by Durham’s Gym in Springdale, Arkansas. Three Hundred Forty-one gymnasts from 14 teams competed Friday night, all day Saturday and Sunday morning. It was another good weekend for the Jacksonville Gymnastics Levels and the gymnasts were happy to be able to compete against several teams that they had not yet met in competition this year. Teams competing at this meet were: Air Bound, Fort Smith; Aspire, Bentonville; Durham’s, Springdale; Flame, Fort Smith; Flip Flop, Pine Bluff; Gymnastics Plus, Arkadelphia; Regional Rec, Bentonville; River City, Little Rock, Russellville Gymnastics, Russellville; Tena’s, Russellville; Westside YMCA, Little Rock; Williams Center, Fayetteville; X-Treme Gymnastics, Greenwood; and Jacksonville Gymnastics.
Jacksonville started the weekend competition Friday at 5:00 as 44 Level Seven and Level Eight gymnasts and ten Level Six gymnasts, from several of the same teams, competed. Thirty-two Level Seven gymnasts, representing six teams, including the nine Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Seven team members competed at this time. Competing for the home-town team and winning the Second-Place Team Trophy, were: Haley Edgin, Alyson Ferren, Sissy Ghormley, Samantha Gray, Tori Hanley, April Pitts, Mackenzie Powers, and Missy Whittecar. Top Individual All-Awards won by the Jacksonville gymnasts, by their age division, went to:
Haley Edgin age nine First Place
Samantha Gray age eleven Third Place
Tori Hanley age twelve Third Place
Sissy Ghormley age fourteen First Place
Missy Whittecar age fifteen Second Place
Ten Level Eight gymnasts representing four teams also competed at the Friday night session. The three Level Eight gymnasts from Jacksonville--Kayla Edgin, Courtney Ellis and Taylor Rai Johnson--won the Second-Place Team Trophy. The age groups were broken down into eleven to thirteen years and fourteen years and above. The three Jacksonville gymnasts competed in the younger age group and won the following top Individual All-Around Awards:
Kayla Edgin age thirteen First Place
Taylor Rai Johnson age thirteen Third Place
Courtney Ellis age eleven Fourth Place
We are so proud of these gymnasts – they are first and second-year Level Eight gymnasts competing against very experienced three and four-year Level Eight gymnasts from long-established teams and our gymnasts are doing so well. All of our gymnasts work very hard but the efforts these gymnasts put into their difficult skills are unimaginable. This is the second year for Kayla and Taylor Rai and first year for Courtney to compete at Level Eight.
Competing in the Saturday 8:00 a.m. session were 72 Level Five gymnasts from six teams, including eleven Jacksonville Gymnastics team members. The Jacksonville gymnasts, who proudly won the First-Place Team Trophy, were: Taylor Butler, Mackenzie Ellis, Amanda Hicks, Bailea Mitchell-Jones, Kendra Lytch, Tiffany Maxwell, Stephanie Scroggins, Stephanie Singleton, Allison Storeygard, Carol Walters and Madison Winstead. In addition to the team award of First-Place Team Trophy, won by the entire team, the following gymnasts won top Individual All-Around Awards:
Mackenzie Ellis Age eight Second Place
Taylor Butler Age nine First Place
Stephanie Singleton Age twelve Second Place
Stephanie Scroggins Age thirteen First Place
Madison Winstead Age thirteen Second Place
The Jacksonville Level Five team had the highest team score of this session and of the Level five teams that competed in the next session.
In the Saturday noontime session, thirty-nine Level Six gymnasts from five teams competed at the same time as the 32 Level Five gymnasts from five more teams. Six of the Jacksonville Level Six gymnasts competing and winning the Second-Place Team Trophy were: Caitlyn Dillon, Cassidy Eberle, Kimberly Edwards, Kelsy Founds, Jessica McDonough and Tori Spears. Also winning top Individual All-Around Awards were:
Kimberly Edwards Age eleven Third Place
Tori Spears Age twelve Third Place
Caitlyn Dillon Age thirteen Second Place
Many times, the gymnasts may win single events for their age and are never recognized because they may not have won the top all-around scores. Jacksonville has many such winners. Just a note of humor: Tori Spears won an incredible 9.775 on the beam and the gymnast who won a 9.8 (both scores unusual for beam) happened to also be a twelve-year-old, so Tori won Second on beam, instead of the sure first that we all thought she had. However, it doesn’t take 9.775 for us to be proud of a gymnast, we are very proud of each and all of our gymnasts. They all work hard!!!! And it takes each gymnast to make our team the wonderful team that it is.
The Jacksonville Team did not compete in the Saturday evening session; however 73 Level Four gymnasts from eight other teams did. Another 71 Level Four gymnasts, from four teams, including the 20 Jacksonville gymnasts, competed in the Sunday morning 9:00 session. The Jacksonville team had a higher score than in any of their meets so far this competitive season, as did most of the other Jacksonville Levels. The 20 gymnasts, ages seven to eleven, on the Jacksonville Level Four Team that won the First-Place Team Trophy are: Lauren Anderson, Sabrina Barger, Tonie Butler, Kennedy Driskill, Rachel Flippen, Jessica Gardner, Katy Gorden, Kayla McGee, Sydney McGill, Jadyn Perkins, Kaylen Perkins, Jordan Rogers, Sierra Rohauer, Allison Shaw, Madi Spears, Alex Taylor, Hannah Taylor, Katherine Taylor, Lynzie VanBrocklin and Savannah Wade. Winning top Individual All-Around Awards were:
Tonie Butler age seven First Place (with a 38.125 score)
Jordan Rogers age seven Second Place
Katherine Taylor age eight First Place, Flight A
Madi Spears age eight Second Place, Flight A
Lynzie VanBrocklin age eight Third Place, Flight A
Allison Shaw age eight First Place, Flight B
Rachel Flippen age nine Second Place
Katy Gorden age nine Third Place
Savannah Wade age ten Second Place
Kennedy Driskill age eleven First Place
The next meet for the Level Four gymnasts will be their Fun Meet (which is equivalent to a State meet, but no team trophies are awarded - only individual all-around honors are recognized). The Level Three gymnasts completed their competitive season at the Sweetheart Invitational hosted by Jax Gym last weekend at the Jax High School. They have already begun working on their new skills.
The Levels Five, Six, Seven and Eight will travel soon to Bartlesville, Oklahoma, for a very big meet there. It will probably be the toughest competition that the team has met for a while, but it will be a good experience for the gymnasts. The State meets will be held soon after that.
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Eight Team at Durham's
Level Eight gymnasts with their Second-Place Team Trophy - the girls had just had one of their best meets of this season and were as proud of themselves as we all were of them!!! From left to right are Taylor Rai Johnson, Courtney Ellis and Kayla Edgin. Way to go, Girls!
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Seven Team at Durham's
The Level Sevens are shown here (chalk on the knees and all that I have never noticed before (from their beam work) after winning Second Place Team Trophy at the Durham's Mardi Gras Meet. Mackenzie Powers is on front row left. Behind her is Sissy Ghormley and to the left are Samantha Gray, Alyson Ferren, Tori Hanley, Haley Edgin, April Pitts and Missy Whittecar. Great job, girls!!!
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Six Team
The Level Six team members are shown here with their Second-Place Team Trophy - Great Meet, Girls. The gymnasts seem to be improving their scores each meet - proud of you, girls! Left to right Kelsy Founds, Cassidy Eberle, Kimmie Edwards, and Jessica McDonough. Back row are Caitlyn Dillon and Tori Spears. Tori had competed a 9.775 on the beam and the girl from another team won beam event with a 9.8!
Jacksonville Gymnastics Level Five Gymnasts
after Winning First-Place Team Trophy
Level Five gymnasts after competing and winning a First-Place Team Trophy - Proud of you girls! It's always a team effort and we are proud of each of you!!!! Front row, left to right are Stephanie Scroggins, Bailea Mitchell-Jones and Kendra Lytch. On the podium, front row, left to right are Mackenie Ellis, Taylor Butler and Madison Winstead. Back row, left to right are Carol Walters, Stephanie Singleton, Allison Storeygard, Amanda Hicks and Tiffany Maxwell.
JACKSONVILLE GYMNASTICS LEVEL FOUR TEAM -
FIRST-PLACE TEAM TROPHY AT DURHAM'S MARDI GRAS MEET
Level Four gymnasts competed to their best score of the season and won the First-Place Team Trophy. Four large Level Four teams competed in this meet - Durham's of Springdale, River City of Little Rock, Williams of Fayetteville and Jacksonville. These gymnasts shown here, ages seven to eleven, will next compete at their State Fun Meet (at same time as other Arkansas teams will meet for State Meets). The gymnasts, first row from left to right are Lynzie VanBrocklin, Jordan Rogers, Madi Spears, Hannah Taylor, Katie Gorden, Sierra Rohauer and Allison Shaw. The two back rows from left to right are
Rachel Flippen, Sabrina Barger, Sydney McGill, Jessica Gardner, Alex Taylor, Katherine Taylor, Lauren Anderson, Kayla McGee, Kennedy Driskill, Jadyn Perkins, Kaylen Perkins, Tonie Butler, and Savannah Wade.