The gymnastics competition season took a leap into championship time with state titles on the line and regional qualification scores to be achieved. The state championships are the start line for the journey to the Region 5 Dream Team and qualifying to JO Nationals. Illinois is always one of the strongest states in Region 5 and looks to continue that this championship season. This year, Illinois level 10 state meet was a mixed bag of highs and lows in performance but not short on talent and big score potential. The meet began early friday morning in Redbird Arena at ISU with the junior session which featured seven former jo national qualifiers. Legacy Elite’s Andrea Li continued her successful 2017 campaign winning her second consecutive state level 10 all around title with a 38.7 along with 3 event titles for Junior B. Li was more then one full point ahead of second place finisher Dani Petrousek of Rockford who posted a 37.575. JerQuavia Henderson of Gym Corner, better known as “Q”, was very impressive and finished off her competition with a 9.775 for the JRB state vault title and a third place all around score of 37.175. JerQuavia finished second for Junior 8 at the 2016 Easterns and is one to keep an eye on at regionals.
The Junior A title was won by first year level 10 Ella Cesario of Legacy Elite. She claimed the vault title with a 9.65 while posting a 37.575 in the all around. Hannah Oliveros of IGI has persevered through a tough last two years (check out her interview) to win the floor title with 9.6 and claim the silver medal in the all around with a 37.125. Third place in the all around went to first year level 10 Haley Tyson of Phenom who posted a 37.075. 2016 JO national qualifier Reese Samuelson of Rockford claimed two individual states titles with her 9.375 on bars and 9.475 on beam which she shared with Legacy Elites Erika Penamante. GymNasti’s Ashley Resch stood out to me as one of the athletes who may not be well known in our region yet but could be a legitimate contender at regionals this year. She finished top 3 on vault and floor and would have been an all around player if not for a fall on beam.
In Senior A, Aerial’s Payton Richards, 2016 JO National AA champion, won her second straight state all around title despite a fall on beam. She also won vault (9.775) and bars (9.65) which features her new double front half out dismount. Second place all around went to UGA’s Caitlin Satler with a 37.45. Caitlin a true story of determination and perseverance, claimed two state titles on beam (9.425) and floor (9.575). Kaitlyn Higgins continued Rockford’s success at state with their 2nd top 3 all around performance with her third place 37.00. My stand out moment of the state meet came from this age group and Linda Zvat of Flip Star. Linda was impressive on vault with a nice layout Tsuk full for a 9.725, which was one of two silver medals she won, other one being on floor (T-9.5).
The top all around score of the championships was posted by Senior B all around champion Nia Dennis from Legacy Elite. Nia scored a 9.6 or higher to win all four events on her way to her 38.75 all around total. 2016 Illinois state all around champion Anastasia Webb from IGI took second with her 37.575. Third went to hometown gymnast Savannah Remkus 0f Rising Star with her 37.55. Savannah competed in her last Illinois state meet on the campus she will call home for the next four years of college. On the comeback trail from a year of struggles, Wesley Stephenson from Legacy Elite had a strong showing posting a 37.525 for 4th and is looking to be peaking at the right time.
Meet Videos
Interviews
Meet Results
Junior A
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Vault
- Ella Cesario, Legacy Elite 9.65
- Haley Tyson, Phenom 9.6
- Ashley Resch, GymNasti 9.5
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[one-half]
Bars
- Reese Samuelson, Rockford 9.375
- Ella Cesario, Legacy Elite 9.35
- Hannah Oliveros, IGI 9.325
[/one-half]
[one-half-first]
Beam
- (Tie) Reese Samuelson, Rockford 9.475
- (Tie) Erika Penamante, Legacy Elite 9.475
- Haley Tyson, Phenom 9.375
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Floor
- Hannah Oliveros, IGI 9.6
- Skyla Schulte, Phenom 9.4
- Ashley Resch, GymNasti 9.375
[/one-half]
All Around
- Ella Cesario, Legacy Elite 37.575
- Hannah Oliveros, IGI 37.125
- Haley Tyson, Phenom 37.075
- Reese Samuelson, Rockford 36.75
- Erin Harty, Rockford 36.3
Junior B
[one-half-first]
Vault
- JerQuavia Henderson, Gym Corner 9.775
- Andrea Li, Legacy Elite 9.75
- Sarah Rowland, IGI 9.575
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Bars
- Andrea Li, Legacy Elite 9.625
- Helen Hu, IK 9.5
- Dani Petrousek, Rockford 9.45
[/one-half]
[one-half-first]
Beam
- Andrea Li, Legacy Elite 9.625
- Alyssa Parlich, Aerial 9.4
- JerQuavia Henderson, Gym Corner 9.275
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Floor
- Andrea Li, Legacy Elite 9.7
- (Tie) Dani Petrousek, Rockford 9.45
- (Tie) Madison Hickey, Energym 9.45
[/one-half]
All Around
- Andrea Li, Legacy Elite 38.7
- Dani Petrousek, Rockford 37.575
- JerQuavia Henderson, Gym Corner 37.25
- Alyssa Parlich, Aerial 37.175
- Helen Hu, IK 36.175
Senior A
[one-half-first]
Vault
- Payton Richards, Aerial 9.775
- Linda Zivat, Flip Star 9.725
- Madeline Diab, Premier 9.45
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Bars
- Payton Richards, Aerial 9.65
- Kayla Perez, Legacy Elite 9.45
- Samantha Ito, Phenom 9.375
[/one-half]
[one-half-first]
Beam
- Caitlin Satler, UGA 9.425
- Kaitlyn Higgins, Rockford 9.25
- Hannah Morrow, IGI 9.225
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Floor
- Catlin Satler, UGA 9.575
- (Tie) Payton Richards, Aerial 9.5
- (Tie) Kayla Perez, Legacy Elite 9.5
[/one-half]
All Around
- Payton Richards, Aerial 38.00
- Catlin Satler, UGA 37.45
- Kaitlyn Higgins, Rockford 37.00
- Azaria Bradley, GymNasti 36.8
- Hannah Morrow, IGI 36.7
Senior B
[one-half-first]
Vault
- Nia Dennis, Legacy Elite 9.75
- Anastasia Webb, IGI 9.725
- Savannah Remkus, Rising Star 9.625
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Bars
- Nia Dennis, Legacy Elite 9.7
- Marissa Holmes, SIGA 9.65
- (Tie) Wesley Stevenson, Legacy Elite 9.4
- (Tie) Rachel Borden, Legacy Elite 9.4
[/one-half]
[one-half-first]
Beam
- Nia Dennis, Legacy Elite 9.6
- Anastasia Webb, IGI 9.45
- Wesley Stevenson, Legacy Elite 9.375
[/one-half-first]
[one-half]
Floor
- Nia Dennis, Legacy Elite 9.7
- Anastasia Webb, IGI 9.65
- Aleah Leman, Energym 9.575
[/one-half]
All Around
- Nia Dennis, Legacy Elite 38.75
- Anastasia Webb, IGI 37.575
- Savannah Remkus, Rising Star 37.55
- Wesley Stevenson, Legacy Elite 37.525
- Rachel Borden, Legacy Elite 37.2
Team Results (Combined)
- Legacy Elite 115.525
- IGI 112.85
- Rockford 111.8
- Aerial 11.05
- Phenom 109.7
Full Results:
Photo Gallery
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