Local gymnasts earn praise

Gleason's Gymnastics' Niagara Frontier Level Five Team recently participated in the Patriots Cup in Williamsville.

In the 7-9 age group, Jenna Peterson, a fourth-grader at Errick Road Elementary School, placed first all-around for her age group with an overall score of 36.125.  She placed first on bars and also on beam, where she earned her high score of the meet with a 9.325. She also placed second on floor and sixth on vault.

Marissa Peters, a third-grader at Starpoint, placed sixth all around with a 33.80.  She scored a 9.2 on beam, which earned her second place on that event. She also placed sixth on floor and eighth on bars. 

For the 11-year-old age group, Samantha Cirrito, a fifth-grader at West Street Elementary, placed first all around with an overall score of 35.750.  She scored a 9.2, which earned her first on bars.  She also placed first on beam and vault. She placed second on floor.

Erica Weber, a fifth-grader at West Street Elementary, placed second all around with a score of 33.950.  She placed second on bars with an 8.9.  She also placed second on vault, third on floor and fourth on beam.  

In the 12-and-over group, Samantha Peterson, a seventh-grader at Edward Town Middle School, placed second all around with an overall score of 34.875.   Her high score of the day came on bars with a 9.3, which earned her second place. She placed third on beam, floor and vault.

•The girls level 4 Niagara Frontier team from Gleason's School of Gymnastics competed Sunday, Feb. 27, at Stumpf's Gymnastics Center in Williamsville.

In the 6-7-year-old group, Emily King from West Street Elementary in Sanborn placed second all around with a score of 35.95. She also placed first on bars, second on beam and floor, and third on vault.

Kendall Sobczyk from Errick Road Elementary in Wheatfield placed third all around with a score of 34.3. She also placed second on floor, fourth on bars, fifth on beam and sixth on vault.

In the 9-year-old age group, Erica Beyer from Errick Road Elementary placed second all around with a score of 36.15. She also placed third on vault and bars, seventh on beam.

Jackie Mazzara from West Street Elementary placed seventh all around with a score of 35.25. She also placed sixth on bars, eighth on floor and ninth on vault. Anastasia Burckholder from Errick Road placed 10th on floor.

In the 10-and-over age group, Ashton Kowalski of Starpoint placed second on bars with a score of 9.3.

•The Gleason's level 7 gymnastics team competed in the Rochester Classic last month with some of the best gymnasts in the state. In the senior division, Elizabeth Suhay of Wheatfield had a very strong floor routine, which earned her a medal.

In the junior division, Caitlin McMahon of Wheatfield had a consistent showing on all four events.

• The Niagara team from Gleason's School of Gymnastics Level 6 recently participated in Nickel City Invitational Meet, held in Orchard Park on Feb. 12.

In the 7-9 year old division, Logan Sobczyk, a third-grader at Errick Road Elementary School, placed fourth on vault, seventh on beams and sixth of floor.

For the 10-year-old age group, Nicole Ross, a fifth-grader at Errick Road Elementary School, placed 10th on vault, 11th on bars, ninth on beam and 11th on floor.

•Becky Metz, a senior at Starpoint, placed seventh on bars with an 8.525 when some of the Level 9 and 10 gymnasts from Gleason's competed in the Presidential Classic in Orlando, Fla., on Feb. 19 and 20. Team Niagara from Gleason's level 9 placed second for the team competition.