For the City Times

STEVENS POINT — In March 2018, eighteen optional-level gymnasts and nine Xcel-level gymnasts from Russell Gymnastics in Stevens Point competed in their respective USAG state meets. They qualified for their state meets during the competition season, which ran January through March, 2018.

Xcel-level gymnasts who competed at the state meet were Maggie Behnke, Morgan Fillmore, Rylie Kawleski, Jennalynn Riley, Alaina Ruffner, McKenzie Schuld, Tatum Thielman, Lilly Willfahrt and Kanosha Xiong.

Silver level gymnasts finished as follows: Alaina Ruffner (Sr. B), seventh on vault, 17^thon bars, 19^thon beam, eighth on floor, 17^thin all-around; Rylie Kawleski (Sr. C), eighth on vault, 15^thon bars, 17^thon beam, 16^thon floor, 15^thin all-around; Lilly Willfahrt (Sr. C), 17^thon vault, 11^thon bars, 19^thon beam, 12^thon floor, 19^thin all-around; Tatum Thielman (Sr. D), 18^thon vault, 18^thon bars, 10^thon beam, 16^thon floor, 17^thin all-around. The Silver-level team took 27th place out of 31 teams.

In the Gold level, Jennalynn Riley took 11^thon vault, 12^thon bars, 19^thon beam, eighth on floor and 17^thin all-around.

Platinum level gymnasts finished as follows: Maggie Behnke (Jr. B) took 11^thon vault, 15^thon bars, 13^thon beam, 12^thon floor and 12^thin all-around; McKenzie Schuld (Sr. A) took 14^thon vault, sixth on bars, 17^thon beam, 20^thon floor and 13^thin all-around; Kanosha Xiong (Sr. A) took sixth on vault, 16^thon bars, 12^thon beam, 12^thon floor and 14^thin all-around. The Platinum-level team took 16^thplace out of 22 teams.

In the Diamond level, Morgan Fillmore took ninth on vault, ninth on bars, third on beam, sixth on floor and eighth in all-around.

Optional-level gymnasts qualifying for the state meet were Natalie Bialas, Giana Bolton, Addison Brock, Kaleigh Buck, Josie Dietrich, Courtney Donahue, Kelly Gruber, Lillith Higgins, Riley Keene, Tessah Lang, Lauren Lemke, Madelyn Manternach, Abbigail Mitchell, Arianna Ostrum, Alaena Rice, Abigail Schuerman, Orria Wood, and Jade Zagrzebski.

In level 6, gymnasts finished as follows: Addison Brock (Jr. B), seventh on vault, seventh on bars, first on beam, first on floor, third in all-around; Jade Zagrzebski (Jr. B), fifth on vault, 10^thon bars, 11^thon beam, 11^thon floor, 10^thin all-around; Lauren Lemke (Jr. B), 15^thon vault, fifth on bars, sixth on beam, 14^thon floor, 11^thin all-around; Alaena Rice (Jr. B), 14^thon vault, 12^thon bars, 13^thon beam, 15^thon floor, 15^thin all-around. The level 6 team took 12^thplace out of 30 teams.

Level 7 gymnasts finished as follows: Giana Bolton (Ch. C), fifth on vault, 19^thon bars, 13^thon beam, 10th on floor, 13^thin all-around; Lillith Higgins (Jr. B), fifth on vault, 19^thon bars, 15^thon beam, sixth on floor, 15^thin all-around; Tessah Lang (Jr. B), second on vault, 16^thon bars, 20^thon beam, seventh on floor, 17^thin all-around; Kelly Gruber (Jr. C), 11^thon vault, 19^thon bars, 21^ston beam, 20^thon floor, 20^thin all-around; Courtney Donahue (Sr. A), 11^thon vault, 11^thon bars, 12^thon beam, eighth on floor, 11^thin all-around; Abigail Schuerman (Sr. A), fourth on vault, 17^thon bars, 20^thon beam, 8^thon floor, 14^thin all-around. Orria Wood (Sr. B), ninth on vault, 18^thon bars, 20^thon beam, fifth on floor, 19^thin all-around. The level 7 team took 18th place out of 32 teams.

In level 8, gymnasts finished as follows: Arianna Ostrum (Jr. A), first on vault, third on bars, first on beam, first on floor, first in all-around; Josie Dietrich (Jr. C), sixth on vault, third on bars, second on beam, second on floor, second in all-around; Riley Keene (Jr. D), 13^thon vault, 13^thon bars, 10^thon beam, eighth on floor, 12th in all-around; Natalie Bialas (Sr. B), sixth on vault, first on bars, 13^thon beam, fifth on floor, fifth in all-around; Kaleigh Buck (Sr. D), seventh on vault, fourth on bars, first on beam, eighth on floor, fourth in all-around. Megan McGuinley qualified for the state meet but did not compete due to an injury. The level 8 team took fifth place out of 28 teams at the meet.

Level 9 gymnasts finished as follows: Madelyn Manternach (Jr. B), first on vault, seventh on bars, fourth on beam, first on floor, second in all-around; Abbigail Mitchell (Sr. A), fifth on vault, fifth on bars, 10^thon beam, ninth on floor, eighth in all-around

Level 8 and 9 gymnasts Kaleigh Buck, Josie Dietrich, Madelyn Manternach, Abbigail Mitchell and Arianna Ostrum also qualified for the USAG Region 4 level 8-10 regional competition, held in April in Minneapolis, MN. At the regional championships they competed against qualifying gymnasts from Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska and Missouri.

Level 8 gymnast Arianna Ostrum (Ch.), who had earned a place on the Super 8 team, placed 19^thall-around with a score of 35.675. Individually, she took 20^thplace on vault (8.475), 21^ston bars (8.575), 11^thon beam (9.425) and 13^thon floor (9.200).

Also at level 8, Josie Dietrich (Jr. D) placed first all-around with a score of 36.675. Individually, she took sixth place on vault (9.050), third on bars (9.400), third on beam (9.175) and 10^thon floor (9.050).

Kaleigh Buck (Sr. F), also level 8, took 13^thplace all-around with a score of 34.400. Individually, she took 17^thplace on vault (7.850), 10^thon bars (8.350), fifth on beam (9.075) and eighth on floor (9.125).

At level 9, Madelyn Manternach (Sr. 1) placed ninth all-around with a score of 33.950. She took first place on vault (9.550), 13^thon bars (7.375), 13^thon beam (7.750) and first on floor (9.275).

Also at level 9, Abbigail Mitchell (Sr. 4) placed 13th all-around with a score of 35.025. She took eighth place on vault (9.225), ninth on bars (8.925), 18^thon beam (7.950) and 14^thon floor (8.925).

Coaches Dave and Debbie Russell are proud of the girls’ commitment to the Russell Gymnastics program and of the girls’ levels of success. The coaches are grateful for the support of the families in the community.

Russell Gymnastics wishes to recognize and thank all the coaches and staff for the wonderful effort in helping each child be successful. Dave and Debbie Russell opened Russell Gymnastics in 2012. The gym offers a full range of recreational and competitive gymnastics programs, from parent-tot classes through optional level 10. Classes for boys are also offered.