Everything you need to know about the Washington state gymnastics championships
WIAA GYMNASTICS STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS
Thursday-Saturday, Sammamish High School, Bellevue
TICKETS
Single day — $11 adults, $8 students/senior citizens. Full tournament — $20 adults, $14 students/senior citizens.
SCHEDULE
Thursday — 3A/2A/1A: All-around, individual and team rotations begin at 12:15 p.m. Friday — 3A/2A/1A: Individual finals rotations begin at 11 a.m. 4A: All-around, individual and team rotations begin at 2:15 p.m. Saturday — 4A: Individual finals rotations begin at 11 a.m.
2018 CHAMPIONS
CLASS 4A
Team — Camas (181.2)
All-around — Lexi McKnight, Kentridge (38.05)
Bars — Ali Tate, Auburn (9.625)
Beam — Kylie Mosset, Woodinville (9.35)
Floor — Ali Tate, Auburn (9.65)
Vault — Ali Tate, Auburn (9.725)
CLASS 3A/2A/1A
Team — Holy names (178.15)
All-around — Lily Gunning, Holy Names (38.125)
Bars — Sydney Griswold, Sammamish (9.625)
Beam — Sydney Griswold, Sammamish (9.525)
Floor — Sydney Griswold, Sammamish (9.725)
Vault — Sydney Griswold, Sammamish (9.75)
THE SKINNY
4A — Camas dethroned four-time defending state champion Woodinville (181.2 to 180.125) in the team race last year in the Tacoma Dome to become the first school from Southwest Washington to ever win a 4A team title. Both of those programs are back this year. Camas was the runner-up in 2017 before breaking through for last year’s title, and Woodinville hasn’t slipped outside of a podium spot the past seven seasons. … A school from the South Sound hasn’t won a team title since Emerald Ridge upended — you guessed it — Woodinville, for the 4A crown in 2013. Last weekend’s West Central District meet was close at the top, with Rogers edging crosstown rival Puyallup, 167.35-167.175, and Auburn Mountainview (163.7) and Auburn Riverside (163.6) not far behind qualifying third and fourth, respectively. But, each of these teams would need a significant boost to get on state-championship pace — each of the past five years, the winner has cleared 180 points. … Every individual championship is up for grabs this season. Top local qualifiers include Kentlake’s Cecelia Loudermilk, who won the bars (9.25), vault (9.6) and all-around competition (37.475) at the WCD meet. She was the runner-up behind Tate in last year’s state finals in the bars. Puyallup’s Rylye Anderson won the beam (9.525) and floor (9.6) at the district meet.
3A/2A/1A — Defending team champion Holy Names is in the hunt for another team title, despite graduating reigning all-around champion Lily Gunning, who won that title in her only season competing at the high school level. The Cougars are seeking a three-peat as a team, after ending Kamiakin’s team title streak at three consecutive years back in 2017. The Braves have finished runner-up to Holy Names each of the past two seasons, including a narrow 176.725-173.825 margin last year, and haven’t missed the podium since 2012. … Gunning upended runner-up Griswold — who won two years ago as a freshman — in the all-around competition last season (38.125-37.375). How did the sophomore respond? She swept the individual finals the following day. Now a junior for the Totems, Griswold is a two-time defending state champion in the bars, and also returns to defend her individual titles in the beam, floor and vault. … White River and Capital are the two local team contenders who advanced out of last weekend’s WCD meet, with the Hornets topping the Cougars, 156.475-149.625, for the district crown. … White River’s Erin McGinnes is the top returning South Sound gymnast in the all-around competition (she placed 10th last year as a freshman), beam (runner-up behind Griswold) and bars (13th). McGinnes won the all-around (34.975), beam (9.175) and tied with Timberline’s Madi Tanneberg in the bars (8.25) at the WCD meet. McGinnes’ teammate, Chylye Schillen, won the vault (9.35) and took second in the all-around. Capital’s Izzy Sanchez won the floor exercise (9.4).
