Gleason’s gymnasts compete at major meet in Niagara Falls

Grand Island Dispatch, January 12, 2007
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, January 13, 2007

Niagara gymnasts from Gleason’s School of Gymnastics competed this weekend in Niagara Falls at the Graffiti Invitational.

Jamie Raepple, a Level 10 gymnast from Grand Island, placed fifth all-around in the Senior division with a score of 34.775. She also placed second on vault with 9.125, third on balance beam, seventh on uneven bars, and eighth on floor with 9.00. Niagara’s Level 10 gymnasts captured the first place team award. Jamie is a sophomore at Grand Island High School.

Jenna Raepple, a Level 9 gymnast, took fourth place all-around in the Junior division with a score of 35.35. She also placed fourth on vault with 9.025, fifth on uneven bars, sixth on balance beam, and eighth on floor with 9.05. Jenna is an eighth grader at Veronica E. Connor Middle School. Niagara’s Level 9 gymnasts took third in the team event.

For the Level 8 team, Rachael Kaplan of Grand Island placed on all four events, earning third place on bars with a score of 8.825, seventh place on balance and vault and 10th place on floor. Kaplan placed seventh all around in the 15-plus division. Her team captured second place in the team competition.

Brianna Brandon led the Level 5 Niagara team by placing first on vault (8.7) and second on beam (9.425). The team took third.

Deanna Favero, a Level 10 gymnast, captured first place all-around in the Senior division with 35.675. She also placed first on floor with 9.475, first on balance beam, second on uneven bars, and fourth on vault with 9.00. Favero is a senior at Lewiston-Porter High School.

Jenna VanDusen, a freshman at Lew-Port, captured third place in the Junior division on floor with 9.50 and sixth place on balance beam.

Andrea Favero, a Level 9 gymnast, placed fifth all-around with 33.90 in the Senior division. She also placed fourth on uneven bars with 8.575, fourth on vault with 8.55, sixth on floor with 8.775, and eighth on balance beam. She is a junior at Lew-Port. Niagara’s Level 9 gymnasts took third in the team event.

Maddie Quarantillo of Lewiston placed on all four events, earning eighth place on both floor and bars and 10th place on both balance beam and vault. Quarantillo placed ninth all around in the 15-plus division. Lara Curtis, also of Lewiston, earned 10th place on bars with 9.0 and scored 9.25 on floor in the 12-14 division. Their team captured second place in the team competition.

Emmily Bowman competed for the first time as a Level 7 gymnast and scored 34.00 all-around, earning eighth place in her age division. Her highest score was on the floor, with 8.850. Bowman is a freshman at Lew-Port.

Cierra Lowery also competed in her first Level 7 meet and had a high score of 8.45 on floor. Lowery is a sixth grader at Wilson Middle School. The Level 7 team placed second for the team awards.

For the Level 4 team, age 9, Julia San Giacomo placed in all four events, earning her a sixth place all around. For ages 11 and up, Lia Parks of Youngstown earned 12th all around and placed eighth on vault and 11th on bars. Vinnie Costanzo from Youngstown earned ninth all around by placing fourth on bars and sixth on floor.

The Graffiti Invitational is Western New York’s largest and most prestigious gymnastics competition. The event is hosted by Flips Gymnastics and Sport of Lockport and ran from Jan. 5 to 7 at the Conference Center Niagara Falls.

Approximately 1,000 gymnasts from New York, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, Maryland, Massachusetts and Vermont competed. The event is a state qualifying invitational, with winners advancing to state championship competition.