The High Flyers gymnastics team of Los Alamos. Courtesy/Don Taylor Photography
Graduating LAHS senior Ashley Bustos is a Level 8 gymnast set to compete in the regional championships April 26-28 in Overland Park, Kan. Courtesy/Rhonda EvenhusSPORTS News:
Five High Flyers gymnasts from Los Alamos won state championship titles and 19 others placed either second or third in the New Mexico USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic & Xcel Championships this month.
The five first place winners included Lauren Evenhus, Level 4 vault and balance beam champion, Elena Gallegos, Level 4 balance beam champion, Allie Jackson, Level 2 vault and balance beam champion, Gianna Rolfe, Level 3 vault champion, and Yuiko Yamaguchi, Level 2 balance beam, floor exercise, and all-around champion.
Graduating senior, Ashley Bustos, a Level 8 gymnast, qualified to compete in the regional championships scheduled for April 26-28 in Overland Park, Kan. She will compete next month against the best Level 8 gymnasts from a seven state area including Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma and Arkansas.
In total, 43 gymnasts from High Flyers qualified to compete in the March state championships, which included athletes competing in USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Levels 2 through 10 and Xcel levels Bronze through Diamond.
Competing in the optional levels, Ashley Bustos placed 2nd on Level 8 uneven bars and Sarah Worley took home the bronze medal in Level 7 balance beam. Four High Flyers gymnasts competed at Level 6. Gianna Benelli placed 3rd on uneven bars, 2nd on balance beam, and was 2nd in the all-around. Elaina Irving placed 5th on balance beam and 10th all-around while Megan Martinez won the bronze medal in both vault and balance beam and placed 4th all-around. Siena Rolfe placed sixth on uneven bars and finished 9th all-around.
In Level 5 competition, Emily Smith placed 3rd on balance beam and was 4th all-around. Teammate Isabelle Gill was the silver medalist on the balance beam and placed 4th all-around. Nine High Flyers gymnasts competed in the Level 4 championships. Taking home silver medals were Gwen DeBardeleben on balance beam, Lauren Evenhus on floor exercise, Elizabeth Hatch on uneven bars, and Jillian Lewis on balance beam. Lauren Evenhus and Elena Gallegos also placed second in the all-around in their individual age brackets. Taking home 3rd place medals were Elena Gallegos on uneven bars, River Irving on balance beam, Jillian Lewis on vault, and Sophia Sisneros on floor exercise. Also competing at Level 4 were Mia Gallegos and Kiara Thornton who each placed sixth in their age brackets.
Three Level 3 gymnasts took home silver medals from the championships. Kaylee Mondragon placed 2nd on vault, Gianna Rolfe placed 2nd on uneven bars, and Cora Perkins placed 2nd on floor exercise. Vivian Sintay earned the bronze medal on uneven bars. Also competing at Level 3 were Ciara Colgan, who finished 4th on uneven bars and 7th in the all-around, Emily Dolence who finished 4th on floor exercise and 6th in the all-around, Toby Gelfand who finished 7th in the all-around, and Sonya Pakin who placed 5th on vault and 8th all-around.
Nine first-year competitors from High Flyers competed in the Level 2 championships. Emilia Bonser was 2nd in the all-around with 2nd place finishes on vault, uneven bars, and floor exercise, and a 3rd place finish on balance beam. Allie Jackson also placed 2nd all-around in her age bracket with first-place wins in vault and balance beam and 2nd place finishes on uneven bars and floor exercise. In addition to her first place all-around finish, Yuiko Yamaguchi placed second on uneven bars, 3rd on vault, and 1st on both balance beam and floor exercise. Other medal winners included Madison King, who placed 3rd on vault, balance beam, and floor exercise, Khloe Martinez, who was 2nd on vault, and Celia Pesiri who took home the balance beam silver medal. Also competing at Level 2 were Eden Albright, who placed 4th on uneven bars and 5th all-around, Caterina Mereghetti, who also placed 4th on uneven bars and 5th all-around, and Campbell Washnok who finished 6th on uneven bars and 8th all-around.
Competing in Xcel Gold were Anna Kirkland, who finished in 6th place, Tara McDonald, who finished in 9th place, and Katelyn Tapia, who placed 4th in balance beam and was 7th all-around. In the Silver category, Alana Hinojosa placed 5th on vault and 7th all-around, while teammate Jessica Points took home the silver medal on uneven bars with a score of 9.625 and placed 5th all-around. Competing in the Bronze category were Lucia Chacon, who finished in 10th place, and Adara Chavez and Michelle Herrera, who both finished in 9th place in all-around competition.
Graduating LAHS senior Ashley Bustos is heading to the regional championships April 26-28 in Overland Park, Kan. Courtesy/Rhonda Evenhus