The Alternative Press

At the Butterfly Classic hosted by C.S. Gymnastics, the last meet of the season for the younger Copper Garden Gator Squad, Adelina Zahner of Sparta came home with the coveted All Around Gold Metal.  For the Copper level 6-9 age group, Zahner took 1^st place in Vault and Uneven Bars, with a 9.4 and 9.25.  She also scored 3^rd place on Balance Beam with a 9.0 and a 45^th place on Floor with a 9.0.   With her overall personal best score of 36.65, Zahner earned the Gold medal for her Copper level.

Such great achievement didn’t stop there for the Copper Gators.  In the 6-9 year old category, Gator Marguerite Bysshe of Sparta also medaled with a 9.1 earning her a 2^nd place in Balance Beam and a 9.2 which lead to a 3^rd place medal on Floor.  In the 10 and up Copper group, Amanda LiCausi of Milford, Pennsylvania, earned a 3^rd place in Vault, Balance Beam and Uneven Bars and a 4^th place on the Floor.  Tori Frisbie of Sandston took 2^nd place on Balance Beam and 5^th place in both Vault and Floor.  Maddie Doherty of Lafayette  placed 2^nd in that age group for Uneven Bars.  The Gators entire copper team performed well, earning the clean sweep of not only Zahner’s 1^st place All Around, but the 1^st Place trophy for Top Copper Team.  “The girls have been so motivated to perfect their skills, learn new ones, and do the very best that they could all season,” beamed Gator’s Coach Carly Earl.   “Ending their season with a first place team award is a wonderful reflection of how far they have come and how hard they have worked.  These girls really show a love for the sport of gymnastics and I know they will continue to shine as they prepare for next year.”
 

The Bronze and Silver Garden Gator gymnasts still have one meet remaining in their season.  During the Butterfly Classic though, the Bronze Gators had their own shining star in Kaitlin Peccia.  Peccia took home 1^st place medals for her 9.0 on Vault, and earned 2^nd place on Floor and Balance Beam, and 3^rd place on Vault- her All Around score of 35.9 earned her 1^st Place in the Bronze ages 12 and up category.  Right behind her with a 35.34 was teammate Kaitlyn Lagasca in 2^nd place for All Around.  Legasca also took home 1^st place for her 9.6 on Floor, 1^st for her 8.9 on Balance Beam, 2^nd on Uneven Bars and 4^th place on Vault.   Fellow Bronze Gator Kayla Komnath of Hardyston, in the 10-11 age category, placed 1^st on Uneven Bars with a 9.15, and 2^nd All Around with a 34.8.  Rebecca Rodriguez of Stillwater was right behind her in 3^rd place with a 33.15, and also took home 3^rd place for Uneven Bars and 4^th on Floor. 

Silver Garden Gators Kelly Hurley and Christina Chernati finished off the afternoon with medals of their own.  Chernati -in the 13-15 year old group- placed 2^nd on Floor with a 9.15, 4^th on Balance Beam and  5^th on Vault and Uneven Bars.  Chernati took 5^th place All Around with a 33.85.  Hurley competed in the 16 and up age group, taking home 3^rd place All Around with a 34.65 after earning 2^nd place on both Vault and Uneven Bars, and 4^th on Floor.

With just one more meet left in the season before State Championships, the list of gymnasts from Giant Gymnastics who have already qualified this year is a long one.  Every gymnast on the team has qualified this year- Kelly Hurley and Christina Chernati in the Silver level, and Rebecca Rodriguez, Kaitlin Peccia, Danielle Weiss, Lia McAuliffe, Kayla Komnath, Vanessa Valentine, Kaitlyn Legasca from the Bronze level.  Their last regular season meet will be this coming weekend at their sister gym, Giant Gymnastics of Hackettstown.  States will be held Memorial Day weekend.

For more information about Giant Gymnastics tumbling or gymnastics classes, private lessons, open gyms and clinics, Parents Night Out’s or birthday parties, please call 973-579-9400 or visit them online at www.giantgymnastics.com.