Gleason’s gymnasts lead the way at two meets

Niagara Wheatfield Tribune, March 1, 2007

Niagara Gymnastics teams from Gleason’s Gymnastics on Niagara Falls Boulevard competed in the 2007 Rochester Classic gymnastic meet, held Feb. 24 and 25 at the Rochester Institute of Technology.

Among the competitors at the meet:

•Nicole Irving took second all-around in the Level 10 Senior Division with an all-around score of 35.325. She placed second on bars with 8.75, third on vault (9.05), beam (8.80), and floor (8.725).

•Jessica Hoover competed in the Level 9 Senior Division. She took third place on vault with 8.80.

For the Level 8 team, Senior Division:

•Pendleton’s Becky Metz placed third on vault. Kelley Feather (Tonawanda) placed fourth on floor and ninth on beam. Ashley Lavocat (NT) took fifth place on bars. The Town of Niagara was represented by Lauren Logar, who earned eighth place on both vault and bars and finished ninth place all-around.

In the Junior Division:

•Emilie Fose (NT) took fourth on vault, seventh on floor, and finished ninth place all-around.

For the Level 7 team:

•Brittany Wurl placed11th all-around in the Junior Division with 35.975 and 12th on bars with 8.8. Cierra Lowery, in the Senior Division, received a high score of 8.8 on vault. Bailey Akin had a very strong meet, placing ninth all-around with 36.05. She placed fifth on both beam and floor with 9.2 and 9.4. Nicholl Martin placed 12th all-around in the senior division with 35.25. She also placed 10th on floor and 11th on bars with 9.175 and 8.725. Miranda Danielewicz placed ninth on bars with 9.1 and 11th on floor with 9.025. Emily Bowman received a high score of 8.8 on vault.

For the Level 6 team:

•In the Junior Division, Kayla Higgins had a consistent meet, scoring 8.625 on vault, 8.0 on bars, 8.625 on beam, and 8.55 on floor. She placed eighth on floor, 10th on bars and finished 10th all-around. Jenna Brick had a high score of 9.175 on beam, good for fourth place and an all-around score of 34.30, giving her eighth place. She also placed seventh on bars and 10th on floor. In the senior division, Jessica Szeliga placed first on floor with 8.75 and second on beam with 9.05. She took 10th place all-around.

Leading the way for the Level 5 team was Richelle Kloch (NT), who placed third all-around with a score of 36.65. Kloch remained undefeated this year in the floor exercise competition by winning the floor with a score of 9.55 and also placed third on the uneven parallel bars with a score of 9.3. Kim Runkle (Niagara Falls) placed 12th on the beam. In the child division, Lauren Testa (NT) won the vault event with a score of 9.5 and finished ninth all-around. Danielle Thaler (Wheatfield) and Danae Floyd (Buffalo) finished tied for third in the vault. Floyd finished sixth all-around, and Thaler, 10th. Cassie Mangan (Wheatfield) won a seventh-place medal on vault. In the senior division, Payton Klidonas (Niagara Falls) finished fifth all-around. Molly Brown won the beam event with a score of 9.3, while placing eighth all-around. Melissa Schmidt finished 12th all-around and Bailly Barone (NT) continued to improve on all events.

The Level 4 team took second place with an impressive score of 186.75. In the Senior Division, Kassidy May (Niagara Falls) placed 11th all-around by earning medals on bars, beam and a third place on vault. In the Junior Division, Kelly Bajorek (NT) placed ninth all-around by winning a medal on floor and a first place on beam with a score of 9.45. Britini D’Angelo (Niagara Falls) and Breanna Gerner (NT) earned medals on beam and Katie Wagoner (Wheatfield) medaled on vault and bars. In the Child Division, Ana D’Angelo (Niagara Falls) placed fourth all-around by earning medals on vault, bars and a second place on beam. Angela Gabriele (Niagara Falls) also helped in the Team Niagara dominance.

The Niagara gymnasts competed in the early state competition held on Saturday, Feb. 17, in the Finger Lakes. For the Level 6 team, Higgins, age 10, scored 8.7 on vault, 8.525 on bars, 9.05 on beam, and 8.65 on floor good for 34.925 all around. Brick, age 11, scored 8.6 on vault, 8.3 on bars, 8.825 on beam, and 8.375 on floor giving her an all-around score of 34.10. Szeliga, age 12, scored 9.65 on beam taking first place.