This past weekend we meet in the heart of Region 5 for the 2025 Region 5 Insider Classic. This was our 6th year hosting the competition at the Turnstone Center (Paraolympic Training Site) in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Thank you to everyone who has made this meet possible over the last 6 years, High 5 Meets, Midwest Gym Supply, the Lions High School Football Team and of course the Turnstone Center.
Hey Press Play- 2025 R5 Insider Classic
Fort Wayne, Indiana
presented by: Midwest Gym Supply
Results- Level 10 Junior | Senior Level 9 Junior | Senior
Competition Video Gallery
The 2025 Region 5 Insider Classic was a fun mix of experienced level 10 athletes with the new crop making their names known this season. The all around champions for the two age groups shows represents that sediment perfectly. In the Senior age group, Raegan McCarty (2024 Level 10 National Qualifier) from Flip Star won the all around with a 36.65 which included her 9.8 winning floor routine. She opens her floor routine with one of the best front double full front pikes in the business and is always fun to watch on floor. However, it is her vault that is new for 2025, that is exciting and once she gets a bit more numbers under her belt, it will be an awesome piece of gymnastics.
2nd place in the senior age group went to another 2024 Level 10 National Qualifier Annabelle Alber from Mid Michigan with a 36.6 and was very balanced for the beam title with a 9.45. The 3rd place finish in the all around went to Ella Fox from Lake Erie with a 36.1. Bars was a struggle for many in this competition but Signature’s Sky Guerrero was able to fight her way through a hit routine for a 8.975 and the gold on the event.
The Junior age group wrapped up in a tie between two first year level 10’s. Maddie Augustine from Signature and Frankie Kissane from FlipStar tied with a 35.075. Maddie won vault with a 9.05 and has improved a lot over the course of the last year on this event. Another first year, Nev Weideman from Mid Michigan won beam with a very solid beam routine that features a pommel horse leg cut (HA HA) for a 9.5. Myleigh Hammer of Champion in Ohio won floor which features a very nice tall punch Rudi. Madison Murphy (2024 Level 10 National Qualifier) from Signature won bars with a 8.775.
The championship part of the season is just a few weeks away. As we look forward to the 2025 Region 5 Level 10 Championships, here are few routines that stood out and we would say HEY Press Play.
Raegan McCarty, Flip Star 9.8 Floor
Raegan is always one to watch on floor. In 2024, she qualified to Level 10 Nationals but had to pull out prior to the meet due to injury. Her front double 1/1 front pike is just a beautiful piece of gymnastics.
The Balance beam was an event that stood out amongst the competitors this year.
Nev Weiderman, Mid Michigan 9.5 Beam
Nev finished 5th on floor at the 2024 Level 9 Easterns, but it was her pommel horse leg cut and a beautiful bhs layout step out on beam that stood out in this competition.
Myleigh Hammer, Champion OH 9.3 Beam
Myleigh has a very aggressive layout layout series that caught my eye. She also has a nice double full dismount which is always a nice breath of fresh air from all the 1 1/2’s you see on beam.
Annabelle Alber, Mid Michigan 9.45 Beam
Annabelle was solid on all of her skills but the switch side and split 1/2 were very impressive.
Maddie Augustine, Signature 9.3 Beam
Maddie has always been strong on beam but is starting to really find her grove in the overall performance of her routine. Her pull over mount is my fave but her front aerial which is new for 2025 is definitely a standout in this routine.
Podcast: Surfs, Saves and Sweets | 2025 NCAA Gymnastics Week 8
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Video of Podcast
We have another alum 10, some cotton candy during beam, more bar cameras that make you dizzy, Ashley defies any physics and finally we get Olivia Karas its Massive! Is it old school, a higgins roll, or the sticky Kool Aid that a more from week 8 let’s go!
Show Notes
Social Salute (03:23)
- Utah TT
- Another Theatrical performance
FAB 5 (06:23)
- Kim notices Towson bars
- Ashley’s defying gravity dismount
- Thaxton’s 1 1/2 – 10.0 for Torrez
- Michigan State Bars, Leo, and Mikes Shirt
DEBUTS (12:11)
- Railey Jackson Vault
D3 Athlete of the Week (13:14)
- Kennedy O’Connor 9.825 Vault
They DID THAT! (15:44)
- JoJo does it again
- Old School and Higgins roll
- Fantastic Firey Freshman and the Kool Aid House
- Riley goes surfing
- The Double Fronts that are Fire!
- The Faces, Guitar and Cotton Candy
- Hey Coach, put me in- The Exhibitions that rocked
R5 University Line-up for Week 8 (45:17) Presented by Full Out Recruiting Line-up meets:
- Ball State/Towson
- Central/Kent
- UCLA/Michigan
Podcast: Let Me See You Walk, Walk, Walker | NCAA Week 7
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Video of Podcast
Is it WAHL or WALLY’s World I am here for both, It’s Peanut Butter Jelly Time, a new alum 10 this week, a few debuts, dramatic walkers, moonwalkers and even Grace Walker. We have awarded another minus to stream network this week, oh and the commentary quotes in week 7 plus it’s NQS time so where does the R5 University rank.
Show Notes:
Social Salute (03:44)
- BYU Husbands Mic’d
- MSU Hotel Lobby Masterpiece
FAB 5 (08:38)
- Kennedy 10.00 (why are we cutting away????)
- The Ribbon Story at OSU From DAVE
- The OG hypeman at Zou in the Lou! Peanut Butter Jelly Time
DEBUTS (13:06)
- Olivia Coppola- FX
- Karleigh Reutzel-Vault
D3 Athlete of the Week (18:44)
- Aleah First Pass from Last Week
- Kelsey Kollhoff Floor 9.8
- Zoe Krull- 9.775 on bars
They DID THAT! (22:39)
- SEC + or is it –
- The smoke at Georgia
- Wahl vs Wally
- Lot’s of commentary quotes
- Bars dismount things
- Moon Walks, Dramatic Walking, and Grace Walker
R5 University Line-up for Week 7 (1:02:27) Presented by Full Out Recruiting
Line-up meets:
- Zou in Lou
- Arkansas vs Georgia
- Minnesota vs Ohio State
HEY PRESS PLAY! 2025 BIG Classic
presented by: Midwest Gym Supply
Results: Session 2A- Juniors | Seniors Session 3A- Juniors | Seniors
The 2025 BIG Classic hosted by BIG Gymnastics was one of the last chances to qualify to the Nastia Cup, which will take place next weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. This year’s BIG Classic had two level 10 sessions with some of our regions top teams and all 5 states represented.
The highlights for both sessions (full results linked above) and some routines you need to Press Play for are included below. Click arrow for more highlights
The Junior Nastia qualifier came out of the first session with Reagan Nowak from Branch Gymnastics, taken the title with a 38.3.
Reagan just missed qualifying a few weeks ago at a qualifier in Virginia and made a trip to Illinois with qualifying as the main objective. She began on bars with her huge Ray bail combo and 9.625, and she closed with a very nice Yurchenko 1/1 for a 9.7 winning both events. Her 9.7 on floor took top honors for all juniors and was the 2nd highest score amongst all athletes.
Gabi Ursu, from Naperville, who took her acrobatic talents to the diving board representing her high school this past fall, was well balanced on her front aerial and BHS layout flight series to grab the top beam score of 9.3 for juniors in the first session.
The second Junior session (combined age groups) was won by the host gym’s Jillian Luif (BIG) who took the all around title with a 37.5 swinging her Maloney Pac combo to the highest bars score of the competition 9.65. Jillian would close the competition with a very nice double pike and the top floor score for juniors in the 2nd session 9.575.
Hunts Gymnastics first year level 10 Erin Tuladziecki had the top junior beam score in the 2nd session and second highest junior score (tied) of both session combined triple flighting her way to a 9.275.
Erin wouldn’t be the only first year level 10 to grab the gold, as Peyton Gregory from BIG Gymnastics blasted a very nice Yurchenko Full for the first time in competition into the Romeoville Athletic Center’s rafters. She unfortunately had way too much power, causing her to take a big step back for a 9.7 which tied for the 3rd highest vault score of the competition.
The Senior Nastia Qualifier came out of the 2nd session of level 10 and the overall top score amongst all athletes. 2025 Level 10 National Champion and future UCLA Bruin Cameron Tassone from IK Gymnastics scored a 38.55 and won 2 of the 4 events (combined all 2nd session seniors).
Her 9.825 floor, which features a very nice front double full front pike, was the highest individual score awarded to any level 10 on any event. She also vaulted her nice Yurchenko 1 1/2 to a top 9.75.
Macy Nihart from Capitol City Flips took top honors on bars for all seniors with her 9.625. Her clear hip Shaposh bail handstand has a very dynamic rhythm and was very nicely executed with no leg separation like you see many times on the low to high circle releases elements.
The top score on beam was a 9.5 from Flip Star’s Emma Bazan. Her front aerial to scale was well controlled and long with her nice switch leap switch leap series.
In the first session the senior age group was a tight fight between two 2024 Level 10 National Qualifiers and came down to 25 hundredths of a point. Julia Rausa from Libertyville won with a 37.15 over Lulu Ton That for CPD with her 37.125. Julia won bars with a 9.6 for her huge Ray bail combo as well as floor with a 9.55.
In possibly her final club performance before she heads to Michigan State University in the fall, Jazlynn Chism from MEGA vaulted a very nice Yurchenko Full for 9.7. It looks like she can easily add a half to that and hope to see it in the Spartan line-up in the near future.
However, as in all competitions, there are many routines that stand out for one reason or another and either are missed or just overshadowed by other routines. Here are some of those routines that HEY….. YOU NEED TO PRESS PLAY!
Anelise Johnson from CC Flips has some of the best form on bars which makes her gymnastics stand out. However, when she combines the form with the huge Ray you can’t help but showcase the routine. 9.6
Alexandra Karkowski from IK on beam stands out because of her unique style and choice of skills and choreography from the single leg break dancing in the beginning to the flight series and different arm and body movements. It’s definitely not boring at least in my opinion. 9.475
Isla Lazzari from CITY has really improved over the last year. Her expression and presentation continues to improve much of that due to her goals of qualifying junior elite. The new front layout step out to double back at the beginning of her routine is a nice edition and she closes with a strong double pike. 9.675
Esphyr Koren from Perfection is always a contender in the all around at any meet she competes. However, it’s her bars for me. Her Chow (it’s a Maloney but from a Stalder) is one of my favorite skills in all of gymnastics and she does it well. 9.5
Raegan McCarty from Flip Stars on floor, I mean she starts with a neck kip, but Raegan has a nice mix of strong front twisting and back twisting but the split and height of her leaps and jumps is very impressive. 9.65
Lulu Ton That from CPD has really improved on bars over the last 2 years. Though I would say beam is her premier event (checkout her flight series dismount video on our socials), this routine has evolved into a very strong event for her. The new dismount combo is very well done and a Toe full at the end of her routine to handstand EXCELLENT! 9.525
