Leading up to this weekend’s Region 5 Championships, we are focusing on the up & coming gymnasts of Region 5 from each state. Region 5’s Twentyfive “Ones to watch”, next up are our five from the Hoosier State…Indiana.
Jacey Vore-JPAC
Tori Ferguson-JPAC
Camryn Klein-DeVeau’s
Mia Lord-DeVeau’s
MaKenna Clarke-JPAC
Watch these these routines and many more this weekend at the 2017 Region 5 Championships at the Indianapolis Convention Center hosted by DeVeau’s School of Gymnastics .
There is never a dull moment at the Michigan Level 9/10 State Meet, each year I run around the venue capturing as much video and as many photos I can of the competition, from those crazy moments to those amazing moments I see and hear them all! So, each year I put together my “Top 10 Highlights” from the meet. From new skills to a 32 year dynasty, and watching the Nastia Cup Champion contribute to history, was an incredible sight to witness. Please enjoy my Top 10 Highlights from the Michigan State Meet.
10. Venue:Kellogg Arena-Branch Gymnastics never disappoints when it comes to hosting outstanding meets and this one was no exception. From the awards staging area, to the
coaches hospitality everything was incredible and Branch deserves so much appreciation for executing another flawless competition.
9. New Skills: Level 10s-There is nothing like showing up to state meet with new skills! I love seeing from year to year what athletes are changing things up and adding in new, hard and different skills. Mayleigh Vanderbeek, Champion USA (Video), competed a new vault for only the 2nd time a full twisting yurchenko. Delaney Harkness, Twistars USA, is also competing a new and very different vault and Matilyn Waligora, Olympia (Video), has added a tucked full-in as her opening pass to her floor routine.
8. 4 person team takes 4th place: Bay Valley Academy took 4th place this past weekend as a team. They had only 4 athletes competing, they beat out some impressive competition and a few larger teams to grab the last podium position in the team competition. This team may be small, but they are certainly mighty!
7. Unique Vaults: Vault has always been one of my favorite events, with everyone doing the same kind of vault these days, I find it very refreshing and fun to see athletes taking a chance and doing something out of the norm. Bria from Heartland, Cali from Gym America (Video), Dominique from Bay Valley (Video), Sage from All-American Flames, Rylie Johnstone from Midland (Video), Anne Maxim from Olympia (Video) and Delaney Harkness from Twistars USA (Video) all brought unique vaults to the table.
6. Last up takes top honor: Dominique Militello (Bay Valley Academy), was the last competitor of the Level 10 competition to compete on the balance beam, Dominique with a jammed pack beam routine nailed it when it counted to become the Senior B State Champion. (Video)
5. Unique Skills: Level 9-My favorite part of any meet is checking out the new and different skills and the level 9 session this year was full of them. Bria Morganroth of Heartland Gymnastics, had something unique on every event. From her back tuck bar dismount (Video) to her knee back handspring on floor (Video) and her arabian vault, she is certainly one to watch! I love innovation in routines.
4. 32 years undefeated-Twistars continues their Level 10 Domination by capturing their 32nd Michigan State Team Title. Twistars is certainly a force to be reckoned with at each level of compeition, but their 10s continue to dominate year after year.
3. Seniors: The Class of 2017- Each year I like to recognize the Senior Class, it takes a lot of handwork and determination to succeed in any sport, especially in Gymnastics. These young athletes, many of them continuing on with gymnastics post graduation, have dedicated countless hours to the sport they love. It is refreshing to see such a great group of athletes first something they started so many years ago!
2. Floor Choreography: In years past there have been only a handful of teams that have had amazing floor choreography. This year the list of teams with expressive dance, show stopping moves and entertaining music was limitless. This was not just in the level 10 session, teams displayed incredible choreography across the board, specifically Olympia, Bay Valley, Gym America and Oakland.
1. Historic Domination: 2017 Nastia Cup Champion Kai Rivers, Gedderts Twistars, swept her entire age division to win back to back All-Around Titles. The last athlete to swept an age division was Grace Williams, Gedderts Twistars, back in 2014 in the same venue. (Vault, Beam, Floor, Interview)
It is that time of year again, time to bring all of the best gymnasts in Region 5 together to see who will qualify to the Dream Team and have the honor of representing Region 5 at the JO National Championships (May 5-7). I absolutely love this time of year! Championship season is always the most exciting, full of energy, excitement, determination, a little bit of stress and lots of hard work paying off.
This week we are heading to Indianapolis, Indiana for the 2017 Region 5 Championships which brings all 5 states together to compete for one goal…..to make the DREAM TEAM! Region 5 is one of the most highly competitive regions in the entire country, making the Dream Team for Region 5 is never an easy task. However now that USA Gymnastics has added 4 more age groups (changed in 2016) it does allow the opportunity for more athletes to fulfill the dream of qualifying to JO Nationals. Usually, it is pretty easy to tell who will make the Dream Team, but anything can happen at any time, nothing is guaranteed in the sport of gymnastics. So, prior to Regionals we are going to focus on the up & coming gymnasts of Region 5 from each state. Region 5’s Twentyfive “Ones to watch”, first up the gymnasts from Ohio.
Nicole Borkowski, New Heights
Nikki Beckwith, Buckeye
Rachel DeCavitch, Gym World
Colby Miller, Perfection
DeShanti Young, Cincinnati Gymnastics
Look for these routines this weekend at Region 5 Championships
Mia Lord, senior level 10 from DeVeaus Gymnastics, competes in her final Region 5 Championships next weekend in front of her family and friends. She has been at DeVeaus her whole life and gets to end her JO career in her hometown as both regionals and nationals are in Indianapolis. Mia talks about the support her teammates have given her through the years. She has represented Region 5 in three JO National Championships which are some of her favorite moments in her career and hopes to have one more opportunity to be apart of the atmosphere before heading to Northern Illinois.
This weekend marks the first stop on the road to the NCAA gymnastics championships. On Saturday, the NCAA Regional Championships will take place in six locations around the country. From regionals, the top 2 teams, and top 2 all arounders (not members of the top 2 teams) * qualify onto the NCAA Championship semi finals in St. Louis Missouri on April 14th. The top 3 teams from each of two semi finals will compete in the “Super Six” team finals for the National Championship on April 15th.
This season there are 82 Region 5 Alums representing their respective schools as a team or individual at the NCAA Regionals. As the freshman get their first taste of championship atmosphere, seventeen seniors hope this isn’t the last competition of their careers. Eleven of our Region 5 Alums are ranked in the top 25 nationally in the AA or individual events this season. Here is a list of all of our Region 5 Alums whose teams qualified or qualified individually in all six NCAA regional sites. #R5Difference
Top 25 nationally in the All Around, Top 25 nationally on individual events
*If a gymnast wins an event at Regionals she advances to the NCAA Semi Finals as well
Seattle Regional
1. Oklahoma: Brehanna Showers Fr (R-Athletics)
2. Kentucky: Katie Carlisle, JR (Buckeye) Sydney Waltz, JR (Gold Medal) Cori Rechenmacher, JR (Legacy Elite/Aerial)
4. Utah State: Hayley Sanzotti, SR (IGI)
Gainesville Regional
1. Florida: Amelia Hundley Fr (Cincinnati)
2. Georgia: Rachel Dickson Fr (MEGA)
5. Penn State: Jessica Jones, SO (Youngstown) Amber Autry, SO (Stars/Stripes)
6. North Carolina: Madison Hargrave SO (Sharps Gymnastics), Selina Zhang, FR (Cincinnati), Morgan Lane JR (Victory Gymnastics)
AA and Individual Qualifiers
Alecia Farina, Maryland FR (GymWorld) Floor
Fayetteville Regional
5. Arkansas: Amanda Wellick, SR (Legacy Elite), Sydney McGlone, SO (Universal Gymnasts), Michaela Burton FR (Legacy Elite)
6. Central Michigan: Rachel Carr, SR (DeVeaus) Miranda Wieczorek, JR (GymKinetics) Macey Hilliker, JR (Bay Valley) Courtney Campbell, JR (MAG) Kailey Miller, SO (Premier Athletics) Kasey Janowicz, SO (Bay Valley)
AA and Individual Qualifiers
AA: Alexis Brawner, SEMO SO (Hunts)
AA: Ashley Potts. NIU SO (HUGS)
AA: Katherine Prentice, NIU JR (Wrights)
Jamyra Carter, NIU SR (Splitz) Bars
Courtney Dowdell, NIU SR (UGA) Bars, Floor
Gabrielle Cooke, ISU FR (IK GYM) Floor
Morgantown Regional
1.Alabama: Amanda Jetter, SR (Cincinnati), Shea Mahoney, FR (Legacy Elite)
2. Michigan: Nicole Artz, SR (Champion USA) Brianna Brown, JR (Cincinnati), Olivia Karas, SO (IK)Emma McLean, SO (Stars/Stripes), Paige Zaziski, JR (Hunts), Lexi Funk, FR (IGI)
5. West Virginia: Brooklyn Doggette, SR (Buckeye)
6. Kent State: Ellen Demarest, SR (Gahanna Cyclone) Milena Fabry, SR (Elite Gymnastics Academy) Michaela Romito, JR (Gymnastics World of Ohio) Brooke Timko, JR (Olympic Dreams) Dara Williams, SO (Gymnastics ETC) Sarah Lippowitsch, SO(Queen City), Jade Brown, FR (Twistars), Emily Kelly, FR (Aerial), Sammi Nero, FR (Elite Gymnastics Academy), Alyssa Quinlan, SO (Gymnastics Michiana), Darby Stanton, FR (JPAC), Gabby Williams, FR (Youngstown)
AA and Individual Qualifiers
AA: Caroline Morant, JR Brown (Legacy Elite)
video: ECAC sports
Champaign Regional
1. UCLA: Madison Preston, FR (Cincinnati)
3. Iowa: Lexi Mura, SR (World Class) Melissa Zurawski, JR (BIG) Tessa Walsh, SO (IGI)
4. Illinois: Mary Jane Horth, SR (Gymnastics World of Ohio), Karen Howell, FR (Olympia)
5. Eastern Michigan: Megan Marino, JR Kirsten Gendron, JR (Mid Michigan) Katie Conrad, JR (Conrad’s Gymnastics) Megan Hultgren, SO (Rockford) Ciara Gresham, SO(World Class) Kaitlyn Ford, SO (Legacy Elite) Carly Clark, SO (Oakland) Sydney Audet, SO (New Heights) Emili Dobronics FR (UGA).
6. Ohio State: Tenille Funches, SR (Arena, UGA) Janelle McClelland, SO (SOGA) Olivia Aepli, FR (Buckeye)
AA and Individual Qualifiers
AA- Rachel Underwood, Western Michigan SO (Crystal Lake)
AA- Anna Corbett, Western Michigan SR (Aerial)
Lauren Feeley, Bowling Green SR (Ultimate) Vault
Jessie Peszek, Western Michigan, SR (DeVeaus) Bars, Beam
Lincoln Regional
1. LSU: Lexie Priessman, SO ( Cincinnati, Perfection)
3. Nebraska: Jennie Laeng, SR (Olympic Dreams), Grace Williams, JR (Twistars), Megan Schweihofer, SO (Hunts)
4. Arizona: Haylie Hendrickson, SO (Set-10) Christina Berg, FR (Legacy Elite)
