Gymnasts competed at Graffiti Invitational

Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, January 18, 2007

Nicole Irving of Sanborn, far left, helped the Level 10 take first place in the team event at the Graffiti Invitational Gymnastics Meet in Niagara Falls. Joining Irving are, from left, Deanna Favero (Lewiston), Sarah Nadrowski (Kenmore), Jamie Raepple (Grand Island), and Kayla Gray (Tonawanda). Missing from the picture is Jenna VanDusen (Lewiston).

Niagara gymnasts from Gleason’s School of Gymnastics competed last weekend in Niagara Falls at the Graffiti Invitational with several local athletes finishing in the top 10.

Nicole Irving of Sanborn placed seventh on floor in the Senior Level 10 gymnast division, the highest level of competition. Gleason’s Level 10 gymnasts captured the first place team award. Jessica Hoover of Wheatfield competed in her first Level 9 meet, where she took third place on floor with 9.025 and 10th on vault in the Senior division. Niagara’s Level 9 gymnasts took third in the team event.

For the Level 8 team, ages 15 and up, Kelley Feather of Tonawanda took second place on bars, third place on floor, sixth place on vault, and eighth place on balance beam. Kara Mangus of Wheatfield took ninth place on bars, 11th place on both floor and balance beam and 12th place on vault. In the all-around, Feather placed third, and Mangus 12th.

For ages 12-14, Emilie Fose of North Tonawanda led the way by scoring 9.675 on floor and 9.3 on vault, placing first in both events. Becky Metz of Pendleton placed on all events, earning second on bars with 9.45, fifth on balance beam, eighth on vault, and 12th on floor. Samantha Johnson of North Tonawanda scored 9.275, good for third place on bars and 12th on vault. Lara Curtis of Lewiston scored 9.25 on floor and 9.0 on bars, good for 10th place. Ashley Lavocat of North Tonawanda placed eighth on bars with 9.05. She also scored 9.05 on floor. Lauren Logar, Town of Niagara, earned 9.25 on floor. Shelinka Cunningham of Niagara Falls earned 8.675 on floor. In the all-around, Metz placed third, Fose placed seventh and Lavocat placed 12th.

Lee Anna Vanoni of Youngstown wowed the 8-11 age division. Vanoni took first place all around by earning 9.25 for first place on floor, 9.0 for second place on vault, 8.575 for second place on balance beam and 9.15 for third place on bars. The team took second place.

For the Level 7 team, Brittany Wurl from North Tonawanda scored 36.25, good for sixth place in the all around. She placed fourth on beam with 9.3, fifth on bars with 9.05 and 11th on floor with 9.225. Cierra Lowery from Ransomville competed in her first Level 7 meet and had a high score of 8.45 on floor. Bailey Akin from Niagara Falls earned second place in the all-around with 36.65. She placed first on floor with 9.7 and second on beam with 9.4. Nicholl Martin of North Tonawanda had a high score of 9.275 on floor, good for 10th place. Miranda Danielewicz from Sanborn earned fourth place all-around with 35.625. She placed first on bars with 9.275, third on floor with 9.075, and sixth on vault and beam. The Level 7 team placed second for the team awards.

For the Level 6 team, Kayla Higgins and Jenna Brick, both from North Tonawanda, competed in the 8-11 age group. Higgins took fourth place on floor with a score of 9.125 and also placed fifth on vault, fifth on bars, seventh on beam. Brick took second on beam with 8.80, sixth on bars, eighth on vault, and 10th on floor. All-around, Higgings was fifth and Brick, sixth.

Jessica Szeliga from Niagara Falls competed in the 12-year-old group and took fourth in beam with 8.75, 10th on vault, 10th on bars, fourth on floor, and eighth all-around.

The Level 5 team placed third. The team was paced by Richelle Kloch (North Tonawanda), who captured the top all-around score in the 10-year-old class with a score of 36.375. Kloch took first place on floor with a meet high score of 9.575 and also won the bars with a score of 9.25. Kim Runkle (Wheatfield) placed second on beam (9.425).

For ages 7-9, Lauren Testa (North Tonawanda) placed first all-around with a score of 36.15 and placed first on vault and floor exercise. Rachel Franz (Tonawanda), Danae Floyd (Buffalo), and Danielle Thaler (Wheatfield) placed fourth, seventh, and eighth respectively in the all-around. For age 11, Payton Klindonas (Niagara Falls) scored a sensational 9.725 to win beam. Melissa Schmidt (Niagara Falls) placed third on the vault. In the Senior category, Molly Brown (Niagara Falls) finished sixth on floor and 12th all-around.

For the Level 4 team, age 9, Angela Gabriele from Niagara Falls placed ninth on floor, and Britini D’Angelo from Niagara Falls had a strong showing on vault and floor. For ages 11 and up, Kassidy May from Niagara Falls placed 12th on beam. For age 8, Ana D’Angelo from Niagara Falls took seventh all around and placed fourth on both beam and floor. Competing in the 9-year-old division were Hannah Emminger and Breanna Gerner, both of North Tonawanda, along with Katie Waggoner of Wheatfield. Wagoner earned 9.2 on bars and the seventh place ribbon. Gerner’s strongest event was the beam, where she earned 8.8 and the 10th place. Meanwhile, Emminger scored 8.6 on vault.