Gymnasts enjoy new format

TACOMA – As a senior, Christy Grorud knew she’d been helped by the new format.

Freshman Courtney Bray just knew she was pleased after the event finals of the Class 3A/2A state gymnastics meet on Saturday.

“I didn’t even expect it,” said Bray, from Mt. Spokane, who medaled in two of the four events. “It’s just a great surprise.”

Unlike in years past, the second day at the state meet had a true competitive element.

In the 3A/2A meet, 16 gymnasts advanced after Friday’s preliminary scores to compete for eight podium spots in each individual championship event on Saturday afternoon.

In 4A, eight finalists vied for four medal spots.

Formerly, 10 gymnasts advanced to the second day when all 10 earned a spot on the podium in both classifications.

“It changed, so you have to adjust,” Auburn Mountainview senior Alexi Morton said. “Judges are changing things all the time.”

For Grorud, that meant a second chance – at least in the floor exercise. A year ago, her 9.3 preliminary score (good for 11th) wouldn’t have advanced her to Saturday.

So a year ago, Grorud wouldn’t have had the chance to finish fourth in the event with a much better 9.6.

“I’m ecstatic,” said Grorud, from North Central, who also placed in the top eight on the balance beam. “This is the first year I’ve done this well, though I’ve made it over here every year.”

As for her 9.6 floor exercise (which actually led the competition prior to the final four of 16 competitors in the event), she said it was all about relief.

“I was just happy to be done with the beam, so I was smiling,” Grorud said. “Because you have to stay up (on beam), it’s just always the one I am so nervous for.”

Another Spokane-area competitor, Shadle Park sophomore Alana Norman, added a second consecutive second-place finish on the vault to her growing total of state awards. Norman’s 9.575 trailed only Hudson’s Bay senior Taisha Duran, who won the event for the third consecutive season with a 9.7.

“I’m going to get first next year,” Norman said. “I’m going to do it.”

Norman qualified for finals in all four events but placed only in the vault.

In 3A/2A, Bellevue’s Emily Lopez won two event titles – the beam and floor. Mount Si’s Georgia Reynolds was the uneven bars winner.

The 4A competition had something of an anomaly take place when three gymnasts tied for the title on the floor. All-around champion Hailey Wells, and Mary McIntosh, both from Woodinville, tied with Heritage’s Britni Atwell at 9.675.

No gymnast from the Spokane area placed in the top four in the 4A events. Mead’s Cadie Pratt scored a 9.45 on the floor, which was fifth and just out of the medals.