Region 5 Twenty Five- Indiana

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April 13, 2023

presented by: A1 Awards

Championship time is here in Region 5. Region 5 Championships will take place in Fort Wayne, Indiana at the Turnstone Center (Plassman Athletic Center) beginning Thursday April 13th.

Each year we highlight athletes from each of our 5 states. You might not know these names, but we think you should watch out for for these athletes as they compete for a spot on their first 2023 Region 5 Dream Team for Level 10.

Here are 5 ones to watch from Indiana:

Syvanna Navarro (JPAC) JrF

Syvanna has been one of my favorites for a long time! I absolutely love watching her perform one the Floor, she has such a presence about her on the event she is like a quiet storm with effortless and precise movements that match the music and make you take notice it’s no wonder Syvanna is the 2023 Indiana State Floor Champion.

Ella Hargreaves (JPAC) JrD

Ella Hargreaves is a unique story started her journey to Level 10 through the Xcel program she was actually the 2016 Regional Floor Champion. Ella moved into the JO programed and quickly shot up the levels and the podium. Making her way up to the 2022 L9 Eastern Champions. In 2023 Ella was the Indiana State Balance Beam Champion. Ella displays beautiful lines & extension, especially in the split jumps & leaps, as well as sharp movements and focus.

Mecca Chandler (Flip Zone) SrA

Mecca Chandler from the Flip Zone Hails from the same as Drake White and posses many of the same qualities. Also catching my eye at the same 2021 L9 Easterns Mecca is the 2021 Eastern L9 Vault Champion and you will not want to miss her on this event as well. Mecca is a powerful athlete that will show confidence and sharpness in her gymnastics as she looking to make her first DEV National in her 2nd level 10 season.

Katie Ferguson (JPAC) SrA

Katie Ferguson from JPAC has been on our radar since she was young showing talent right out of the gate especially on the Uneven Bars. Katie is a natural born swinger and with her beautiful piked Jaeger and double layout you will definitely see why along with the fact she is the 2023 Indiana State Bar Champion. Look for Katie to stand out from the rest this weekend on the event.

Drake White (Flip Zone) SrC

Drake is no stranger to our list, we have been watching her for a few years now. Drake first caught my eye as a level 9 at the 2021 L9 Eastern Nationals with her powerful Vaults & fun, sassy Floor Routine. In 2023 Drake was the Indiana State Vault Champion, so this week she will definitely be one to watch on that event as well as on the Floor.

Region 5 Twenty Five- Michigan

By

Jason MacDonald

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April 12, 2023

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Championships time is here in Region 5. Region 5 Championships will take place in Fort Wayne Indiana at the Turnstone Center (Plassman Athletic Center) beginning Thursday April 13th.

Each year we highlight 5 athletes from each of our 5 states. You might not know these names, but we think you should watch out for for these athletes as they compete for a spot on their first 2023 Region 5 Dream Team for Level 10.

Here are 5 ones to watch from Michigan:

Amina Mackalo (Gym America) JrA

Amina is no stranger to our “Ones to watch” list, bursting onto the scene last year virtually coming out of no where with incredible tumbling & a Hindorff that would even make Dominique Dawas take notice. Falling just short of making her first Dream Team in 2022 Amina is heading into the 2023 R5 Championships at the top Junior A again this year a few inches taller and looking incredibly confident and ready to lead a talented group of Junior A athletes to Oklahoma City. Make sure not to miss this 2023 State Champion’s high flying bars, powerful vault and fun filled floor!

Anelise Johnson (Capital City Flips) JrC

Anelise, a the 2023 Level 10 Balance Beam State Champion & 2022 L9 Eastern National Qualifier is looking confident and ready to make a run at her first Level 10 Dream Team. Anelise, a first year Level 10, has a great presence on the competition floor especially on the floor exercise and the Balance Beam. Expect to see beautiful extension and sharp movements.

Ashlyn Doyle (Champion USA) JrE

Ashlyn, who finished 3rd in the All Around at the 2023 MI State Championships, is a steady consistent competitior who has showed great improvement over the last few years. Look for a beautiful straddle Jaeger & nice Yurchenko Full from Ashlyn this weekend as she tries to make her first Region 5 Dream Team.

Anika Most (Capital City Flips) SrA

Anika Most is an athlete of beauty & grace with exquisitely long lines, exceptional extension and toe point you simply cannot take your eyes off her once she starts her performance. Anika, who is no stranger to Region 5 success, earning the 2022 L9 Eastern National UB Title along with the 2022 R5 Regional Balance Beam Title and the 2022 L9 State Vault & Uneven Bars Title. Anika, is also a fan favorite on the Yahtzee Award front taking home the award for Most interesting Beam Mount in 2022, so be sure to not miss out on her gorgeous Beam Routine that is literally poetry in motion from mount to dismount. This is Anika’s first year of Level 10 and she is in a great position to make her first Region 5 Dream Team.

Annabelle Schneider (All American Flames) SrC

Annabelle Schneider gets my vote for most improved and teammate of the year in 2023. Annabelle, who placed 2nd in the AA, put it all together this year finishing behind Flames teammate Hannah Scheible. Annbelle has showed great improvement all around the gym, and has been working incredibly hard perfecting her Ray on the Uneven Bars. Annabelle is also the “Teammate to everyone” giving high fives and pep talks to all the athletes in her rotation regardless of what team they are from, I absolutely love this about her! I hope to see this athlete make her first Region 5 Dream Team in 2023 because she is the true embodiment of what it means to be part of Region 5.

Lindsay Girard (Hunts) SrF

Lindsay Girard quietly blew me away this season, I knew from last year she has an incredible vault, but wow does she has some an entire arsenal of skills across 3 events. Lindsay, who is a senior, is the 2023 Vault & Floor State Champion. Lindsay actually is a 3 time MI State Floor Champion toping the podium in 2021, 2022 & this year in 2023 as well as the 2022 Regional Champion AND 2022 L9 Eastern National FX Champion so needless to saw Lindsay CAN definitely do Floor! Her Balance Beam is another event that is simply incredible as well mounting with a front tuck and dismounting with a double full that is high enough to be a double back! Lindsay will without a doubt be a force to be reckoned with at the R5 Championships and if all goes well hopefully her first National Championships as well! Lindsay is an athlete who could fill a Dream Team spot or a Wild Card Spot on Multiple Events, she is also a College coaches dream and is uncommitted! So, College coaches this is your chance to snag a 2023 standout!

Region 5 Twenty Five- Illinois

By

Jason MacDonald

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April 11, 2023

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presented by: A1 Awards

Championships time is here in Region 5. Region 5 Championships will take place in Fort Wayne Indiana at the Turnstone Center (Plassman Athletic Center) beginning Thursday April 13th.

Each year we highlight athletes from each of our 5 states. You might not know these names, but we think you should watch out for for these athletes as they compete for a spot on their first 2023 Region 5 Dream Team for Level 10.

Here are 6 ones to watch from Illinois:

Karalyn Key (Midwest Elite) Junior B

Karalyn is in her 2nd year of Level 10. She finished just out of the top 10 in Junior A in 2022. Her Yurchenko full vault ranks among the best in her age group every meet. She is coming off a solid effort at state meet and with a solid performance across the board, should be in the mix in Junior B.

Kate Peebles (Phenom) Junior D

Kate has really jump the ranks this season. After coming off a top 7 finish in the all around at the 2021 Level 9 Easterns, Kate had a few struggles as a first year 10 in 2022. However, she coming off her best all around performance at state. She finished 2nd on beam at state along with solid efforts on floor and vault.

Kyler Webster (Aspire) Senior A

Kyler is in her 2nd year of level 10 and made a gym change after the 2022 season. She has lots of power and competed a double layout on floor a year ago (however have not seen it in 2023). Her Yurchenko full has the potential to be one of the best in the region.

Julia Rausa (Libertyville) Junior D

Julia is a former Level 9 Eastern AA Champion and is also in her 2nd year of level 10. Her aerial layout step out on beam and Ray on bars helps her gymnastics stand out amongst her competitors.

Annika Chudy (Ultimate) Senior C

Annika has a bit of a different story in her 2nd year of level 10. Annika competes for her high school here in Illinois which presents some challenges when it comes to USAG competition. She continues to make leaps in her all around performances and tied for 2nd with this beam routine at state. Her toe front half off bars is a piece of beauty.

Zoe Claiborne (BIG) Senior A

Zoe has been a level 10 for the last four years. She also made a gym change this past season and seems more confident in her gymnastics. Her vault is probably her most consistent of the four events but has awesome potential on bars as she has one of my favs, a Deltchev on bars.

Region 5 Twenty Five- Ohio

By

Jason MacDonald

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April 10, 2023

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presented by: A1 Awards

Championship time is here in Region 5. Region 5 Championships will take place in Fort Wayne Indiana at the Turnstone Center (Plassman Athletic Center) beginning Thursday April 13th.

Each year we highlight 5 (sometimes 7) Level 10 athletes from each of our 5 states. You might not know these names, but we think you should watch out for for these athletes as they compete for a spot on their first 2023 Region 5 Dream Team for Level 10.

Here are 7 ones to watch from Ohio:

Avery Moll (Buckeye) Junior C

Avery Moll has been an athlete to watch for years having great success as a level 9 toping the podium two years in a row in the All-Around & Vault at the L9 Eastern Championships along with adding the Bars title in 2022. Avery, who has recently dipped her toes into the elite world, is one of the might highly anticipated 1st year level 10s for me with upgraded routines on Almost every event, powerful tumbling, exception presentation & extension this athlete is the total package and I cannot wait to see what the 2023 Region 5 Championships holds for this Ohio State Champion. Watch Avery in the Junior C age group where she is sure to be not only a leader for the R5 Dream Team, but a leader on the National Stage as well.

Jazlene Pickens (Buckeye) Junior C

Due to injury Jazlene missed out on making the 2022 Dev Nationals, but went on to qualifier Hopes later that year. Jaz, the 2023 OH State BB & 2022 FX Champion, is heading into the weekend looking stronger than ever ready to make a run at her first level 10 R5 Dream Team. Jazlene, like Avery, will be one to watch in the Junior C age group and it should be exciting to watch these two exceptional but different styled athletes compete to see who comes out on top for that grouping, both are coming into the meet with the same AA score. Watch for Jazlene’s power, personalty and precision to shine on vault, beam and floor this weekend.

Karleigh Reutzel (Universal) Junior F

Karleigh is in her 3rd year of level 10. She excels on floor posting huge scores all season including this 9.6 routine at state. However, our attention is always drawn to gymnasts who do something just a bit different and Karleigh is that athlete. Her 1 arm bhs layout series is an eye catcher for sure. She also has a very nice handspring tuck front vault that won her the state title on her way to the Ohio State AA title for her age group.

Rani Nigam (Queen City) Junior B

Rani is in her first year of level 10. She first caught my eye on beam last year as Level 9 at regionals in which she won the event and qualified to the 2022 Eastern Championships. She throws the book on beam. However, I feel her best event when she lets it swing is bars, which features a very nice Ray and the typical Queen City bar lines that we have come to admire.

Autumn Rardin (Gym Xtreme) Junior F

Autumn hails from the same gym as Riley Carmen, who is a also on our list, as well a numerous other great R5 athletes. Autumn is the 2023 Ohio State Vault & Bars Champion, with a beautiful Handspring Front Pike it is surely a vault that you do not want to miss! I love watching Autumn perform on the floor, her routine is full of sass and expression, coming from Gym X-Treme you can always count on an exceptional choreographed Floor performance from these athletes.

Payton McClain (Perfection) Junior B

Payton is a 1st year level 10 looking to make her mark, no stranger to national competition, Payton is a 3x TOPs qualifier as well as a 2021 L9 Eastern Qualifier. Hailing for Perfection Gymnastics in Cincinnati you can be sure she will come with a bar set sure to impress with long lines and effortless swing. Like many Region 5 Payton’s before her get ready for many years of this young talented athlete, she has something special that we could be seeing a lot more of this Junior B Level 10 from Ohio.

Riley Carmen (Gym Xtreme) Junior F

Riley has been on my “ones to watch” list for years! I always feel as this athlete is older than she really is because she has been a level 10 for so long. Riley shows beautiful presentation all over the gym, she has a 2022 R5 Yahtzee award to prove it. Riley catches your eye with her expression, confidence and personality on the Floor Exercise and Balance Beam along with her effortless swing and release combo on the Uneven Bars, which she also has a 2021 Best Bar Combo Yahtzee Award for too. In the past Riley has just missed making the R5 Dream Team, but I feel like this year could be her year! So, do not miss this athlete in the Junior F age group because when she hits it will be incredible and I will be the first one jumping up and down for her!