Giant gymnasts take first all around
SPARTA At the Butterfly Classic hosted by C.S. Gymnastics, the last meet of the season for the younger Copper Garden Gator Squad, Adelina Zahner of Sparta came home with the coveted All Around Gold Metal. For the Copper level 6-9 age group, Zahner took first place in Vault and Uneven Bars, with a 9.4 and 9.25. She also scored third place on Balance Beam with a 9.0 and a 45th place on Floor with a 9.0. With her overall personal best score of 36.65, Zahner earned the Gold medal for her Copper level.
In the 6-9 year old category, Gator Marguerite Bysshe of Sparta also medaled with a 9.1 earning her a second place in Balance Beam and a 9.2 which lead to a third place medal on Floor. In the 10 and up Copper group, Amanda LiCausi of Milford, Pa., earned a third place in Vault, Balance Beam and Uneven Bars and a fourth place on the Floor. Tori Frisbie of Sandston took second place on Balance Beam and fifth place in both Vault and Floor. Maddie Doherty placed second in that age group for Uneven Bars.
The Gators entire copper team performed well, earning the clean sweep of not only Zahners first place All Around, but the first place trophy for Top Copper Team. The girls have been so motivated to perfect their skills, learn new ones, and do the very best that they could all season, saidd Gators Coach Carly Earl. Ending their season with a first place team award is a wonderful reflection of how far they have come and how hard they have worked. These girls really show a love for the sport of gymnastics and I know they will continue to shine as they prepare for next year.
The Bronze and Silver Garden Gator gymnasts still have one meet remaining in their season. During the Butterfly Classic though, the Bronze Gators had their own shining star in Kaitlin Peccia. Peccia took home first place medals for her 9.0 on Vault, and earned second place on Floor and Balance Beam, and third place on Vault her All Around score of 35.9 earned her first Place in the Bronze ages 12 and up category. Right behind her with a 35.34 was teammate Kaitlyn Lagasca in second place for All Around. Legasca also took home first place for her 9.6 on Floor, first for her 8.9 on Balance Beam, second on Uneven Bars and fourth place on Vault.
Fellow Bronze Gator Kayla Komnath of Hardyston, in the 10-11 age category, placed first on Uneven Bars with a 9.15, and second All Around with a 34.8. Rebecca Rodriguez of Stillwater was right behind her in third place with a 33.15, and also took home third place for Uneven Bars and fourth on Floor.
Silver Garden Gators Kelly Hurley and Christina Chernati finished off the afternoon with medals of their own. Chernati in the 13-15 year old group placed second on Floor with a 9.15, fourth on Balance Beam and fifth on Vault and Uneven Bars. Chernati took fifth place All Around with a 33.85. Hurley competed in the 16 and up age group, taking home third place All Around with a 34.65 after earning second place on both Vault and Uneven Bars, and fourth on Floor.
With just one more meet left in the season before State Championships, the list of gymnasts from Giant Gymnastics who have already qualified this year is a long one. Every gymnast on the team has qualified this year Kelly Hurley and Christina Chernati in the Silver level, and Rebecca Rodriguez, Kaitlin Peccia, Danielle Weiss, Lia McAuliffe, Kayla Komnath, Vanessa Valentine, Kaitlyn Legasca from the Bronze level. Their last regular season meet will be this coming weekend at their sister gym, Giant Gymnastics of Hackettstown. States will be held Memorial Day weekend.
For more information call 973-579-9400 or visit www.giantgymnastics.com.