San Mateo Gymnasts Win State Titles

March 27 & 28, 2010

The San Mateo Gymnastics optional girls' team had a strong showing in the recent 2010 Northern California State Championships for Levels 8, 9, and 10 in Oroville, and for Level 7 in Kentfield.  The Level 7 team claimed the first place team title, the Level 8 team earned second place team award, and the Level 9 team came home with the third place team award.  Six San Mateo gymnasts - Hannah Knoot and Erica Pang in Level 7; Maya Gutierrez and Emily Ohara in level 8, and Erin Macadaeg in Level 9, and Ellette Craddock in Level 10 - earned coveted spots on the Northern California State Team, which includes the top six all-around finishers in each level, regardless of age.  Within each level and age group, the San Mateo gymnasts rose to the occasion in the face of tough competition, coming home with state titles as well as other top awards in the all-around and individual events.

In level 7, in addition to earning the top spot on the Level 7 NorCal State Team, 12-year-old Hannah Knoot was the all-around state champion in the Junior C division, with a score of 38.275.  She also earned the state titles on bars with an incredible score of 9.9 (out of 10.0!), on beam with a 9.675 and on floor with a 9.5.  Also a Level 7 NorCal State Team member, 10-year-old Erica was the all-around state champion in the all-around in the Child C division, with a score of 37.90.  Pang also earned the title on bars with a 9.65 and on beam with a huge 9.775, and earned second place on vault (9.4). 

In the Child B division, Victoria Salem earned the state title on bars with a score of 9.7, to finish fourth in the all-around.  In the Child C division, Darcy Matsuda earned third place on vault, bars (9.425), and floor (9.4), for a third place finish in the all-around.  Alessandra Lynn also competed well in this age division, while Emma Utley earned the bronze on bars in the Child D division.

Mackenzie Dean claimed the state title on floor in the Child F division, with a huge 9.7.  She also earned third on bars for a third place finish in the all-around, with a score of 37.525.

Mia Diliberto earned the state title on vault (9.45), and the bronze on bars and floor (9.425), for a fourth place finish in the all-around in the Junior B division.

In the Junior C division, Amy Richards claimed the silver on bars (9.65) and floor (9.475) and the bronze on beam, en route to a second place finish in the all-around, with a score of 37.525.  In the same age division, Kelsey Celaya earned the silver on vault (9.4) for third place in the all-around, with a score of 37.00.

13-year-old Rachel Wong won the state title on bars (9.45) and the silver in the all-around in the Junior F division.  She also earned second place on vault and third on floor (9.425). 

Lauren Ringman (Junior A), Allison Flores (Junior B) and Elena Enioukova (Junior F) also competed well in the all-around in their respective age divisions for Level 7.

In Level 8, 15-year-old Emily Ohara, in addition to winning a spot on the NorCal Level 8 State Team, won the all-around state title in the Senior B division, with a score of 37.60, including a first place finish on bars (9.475), second on vault (9.5), and second on beam.

13-year-old Maya Gutierrez, competing in the Junior A division, performed well on every event, earning the silver on vault, bars (9.4), beam (9.5) and floor (9.4), as well as in the all-around, with a score of 37.65, giving her a spot on the NorCal State Team.  In the same age division, Jessica Forman earned the state title on beam (9.6) and tied with Gutierrez for the silver on floor, for a third place finish in the all-around, with a score of 37.325.

In the Child D division, 12-year-old Aya Suzuki earned third place on vault and bars for a second place finish in the all-around.  14-year old Julia Foust competed well in the Senior A division, wining the silver on floor.  In the Senior C division, Meg Taylor earned the silver on beam and the bronze on bars.

In level 9, 13-year-old Erin Macadaeg won the all-around state title in the Junior C division, with a score of 37.675, giving her a spot on the Level 9 NorCal State Team.  She also claimed the titles on vault (9.55), beam (9.50) and floor (9.50), and the silver on bars.

In the Senior A division, 15-year-old Caitlin Fovenyesssy earned the state title in the all-around as well as on vault.  She also earned the silver on floor and the bronze on beam.  Competing in the same age group, Chikako Takigawa claimed the state title on floor, and earned the silver on beam and the bronze on vault, for second place in the all-around. Michelle Fong won the state title on beam and second on vault, for a third place finish in the all-around.

In level 10, 16-year-old Ellette Craddock claimed the state title on bars (9.475) and beam (9.40), en route to winning the all-around title in the Senior A division, with a score of 37.275.  This all-around score also gave her a spot on the Level 10 NorCal State Team.  Amanda Walbridge won the silver on vault, finishing in third place in the all-around.

These strong all-around performances earned each of the San Mateo optional girls on the levels 8, 9 and 10 teams a spot in the regional competition to be held April 9-11 in Long Beach, where the gymnasts will compete with others representing distinguished teams from Northern California, Southern California, Arizona, Nebraska and Utah.

The competition at this level is intense, and the wins they bring home were accomplished through hard work and great coaching.  The coaches, Armen Astoian, Oksana Bystrova, Ashot Gasparyan, Zhi Hua Dong, Penny Moyce and Kyle Asano could not be prouder of their teams.  Congratulations to all the gymnasts, and way to represent San Mateo Gymnastics!