Building character and self esteem through the sport of gymnastics.

Riverside rises for 5^th-place at state (12-05-09)

Despite a plague of injuries, Riverside athletes rallied to bring The Dalles a level 6,  fifth-place team trophy at the  Women’s Junior Olympic State Championship in Corvallis.

The team, whittled down to just four girls, battled to remain competitive amidst the state’s best on Dec. 5.

They delivered.

“I was just thinking about the next event,” said Audrey Hinatsu, 11.

“You’re not thinking about the team score; you’re just thinking about your final score,” added Keagan Rice, 11.

Deep thoughts paid off.

Hinatsu went first all-around in her division and Rice and Taylor Sugg posted third-place, all-around scores. Avery Cardosi, 12, also elevated the team with a first-place performance on bars despite a knee injury that forced her to scratch her floor exercise.

When team scores were tallied, Riverside did not expect much given the depth of the larger teams that had up to seven competitors on which to rely top scores.

“It was kind of surprising,” said Taylor Sugg, 11.

“They said Riverside Gymnastics Academy fifth place. We’re, like what?” Hinatsu added.

Coach Mike Smith was all smiles.

“We did great considering the fact that we had two girls (Sara Abrams and Allison Kortge) completely out and one girl who could do only 2 events (to her full potential),” he said. “You do the best you can with who you have, and as it turned out we did pretty well.”

The level 6 team started on vault.

“It felt pretty good to start with vault,” Sugg said, noting they had the luck of drawing vault first in every meet this fall.

Rice started strong with a 9.1, although she said it was stressful as other competitors were blocking the judges making it difficult to signal their start.

Sugg stuck a 9.225, and Hinatsu landed a 9.0. Cardosi followed with an 8.825.

They rotated to bars where they crushed all competitors with a team score of 27.5 - the best in the state walking away - .45 better than the second place team.

Hinatsu and Sugg then went number one and two on beam with scores of 9.475 and 9.4 respectively. Rice added an 8.95, despite a fall.

“I fell on my walk-over,” Rice said. “I just got back up and tried my hardest so I didn’t fall again.”

The girls finished their rotation on floor that finishes with a round-off, back-hand spring, back tuck. Sugg led with a 9.325, followed by Hinatsu’s 9.0 and Rice’s 8.9.

Cardosi was proud of her team’s fifth-place finish.

“I didn’t really think that would happen because there was not a lot of people on our team,” she said.

Smith said there was no doubt some of the girls were ready to move onto level 7 optionals where they create their own routines.

“We’ll use this as a gauge to evaluate which girls do go into optionals,” Smith said. “They are in good shape, and they have to be strong to go into a whole new realm of gymnastics.”

Riverside’s level 5 team did not place, however, athletes brought some strong individual performances.

Hannah Hinshaw, 13, took third in the senior division with an all-around score of 36.175.

Level 5, Age 10-11

Emily Peterson: bars- 8^th, 8.85

Jocelyn Hernandez: bars-10^th,

Age 12

Bailey Coyner: vault-8^th, 9.1; beam-10^th, 8.9

Age13

Hannah Hinshaw: vault-3^rd, 9.0; bars-6^th, 9.325; beam-3^rd, 8.85; floor-4^th, 9.0; all-around-3^rd, 36.175

Level 6, Age 11

Audrey Hinatsu: vault-4^th, 9.0; bars-1^st, 9.55; beam-2^nd, 9.475; floor-4^th, 9.0; all-around-1^st, 37.025

Keagan Rice: vault-2^nd, 9.1; bars-3^rd, 8.65; beam-7^th, 8.95; floor-5^th, 8.9; all-around-3^rd, 35.6

Taylor Sugg: vault-3^rd, 9.225; bars-4^th, 9.050; beam-2^nd, 9.4; floor-4^th, 9.325; all-around-3^rd, 37.0

Age 12

Avery Cardosi: bars-1^st, 8.9

Smith goes to state (11-14-09)

Riverside Gymnastic's Emma Smith took an all-around second place at Oregon’s Northern sectionals meet in Clackamas on Nov. 14, earning herself a spot at the State Championships set for Dec. 5 in Corvallis.

The 7-year-old posted first place finishes with her beam and floor routines and stuck a 37.45 all-around score to get the judges nod for the state competition.

“I’m excited for it,” said Smith after practice on Tuesday. “I’m practicing my level 4 routines and doing as good as I can.”

Emma Smith said the all-around score was her “highest ever.”

Smith and 31 other girls at the sectionals earned spots at the state championships. They will match their skills against 32 of the best coming out of the southern sectional next week.

Emma Smith was the only competitor for the Riverside’s Level 4 team to make it to state, but coach Candy Smith said all her athletes did well.

“Every kid had a personal best,” she said.

Level 4, Age 6-7

Emma Smith: vault- 2^nd , 9.3; bars- 2^nd, 9.225; beam- 1^st , 9.45; floor- 1^st, 9.475; all around- 1^st, 37.45

Elena Cardosi: vault- 3^rd, 9.1; bars- 4^th, 8.8; floor- 6^th, 9.15; all around- 7^th, 34.75

Sofia Blair: vault- 7^th, 8.85; bars- 7^th, 7.7; beam- 8^th, 8.2; all around- 10^th, 32.6

Courtney Hert: vault- 6^th, 8.9; all around- 11^th, 32.25

Age 8

Celia Peterson: vault – 5^th, 8.95; bars- 5^th, 8.9; beam- 6^th, 8.85; floor- 4^th, 9.35; all around- 6^th, 36.05

Age 9

Halie Beall: vault- 2^nd, 9.25; bars- 5^th, 8.9; beam- 4^th, 9.075; floor-3^rd, 8.9 all around-4^th, 36.125

Hannah Caracciolo: vault- 4^th, 9.0; bars- 5^th, 8.85; beam- 4^th, 9.225; floor- 6^th, 8.85; all around- 5^th, 35.925.

Age 11

Kaisey Heldstab: vault- 5^th, 9.0; bars- 5^th, 8.85; beam- 4^th, 9.225; floor- 6^th, 8.85; all around- 5^th, 35.925

Shanan Kelly: vault- 6^th, 9.0, bars- 6^th, 8.75; all around- 10^th, 35.325

Clara Wilkinson: vault- 5^th, 8.75; bars- 4^th, 8.85; beam- 6^th, 8.7; all around- 6^th, 34.7

Age 13

Abbey Leion: beam- 4^th, 8.0; all around- 6^th, 31.8

Age 14

Amber Agideus: vault- 4^th, 8.95; bars- 2^nd, 9.075, beam- 2^nd, 9.0; floor- 3^rd, 8.35; all around- 2^nd 35.375

Riverside gymnasts ramping up for sectionals (10-24-09)

Riverside gymnasts are gaining momentum and better scores as they prepare to face off against Oregon’s best at northern sectionals this month.

In their last two meets, the level-4 team has put together strong performances, taking a first-place trophy at the Friendship Meet at Mittlemen Jewish Community Center in mid-October.

And while the level-4 team took seventh with its team score at the Metro Gymnastics Center meet on Oct. 24, just a half point separated them from the fourth-place team.

In the past two meets level-4 gymnast Emma Smith, 7, has led the team with first and second place all-around finishes.

Riverside’s level-4 gymnasts had a slew of top-three, all-around finishers at the Mittleman meet as well. Elena Cardosi, 6, finished third all around. In age bracket 9-10, Hannah Caracciolo took second and Halie Beall, third. In ages 11 and up, Kaisey Heldstab took first and Amber Agidius, second.

“Level-4 team strength going into sectionals would probably be their bars,” said Riverside Gymnastics Acadamey Coach Candy Smith. “We are working at perfecting their routines these two weeks before sectionals, and helping them to be more consistent.”

Sectionals for level 4 are set for Nov. 14 in Clackamas.

In addition, the level-6 team continues to put forward solid efforts, capturing two team third-place finishes against some of Portland’s best clubs during the past month.

At the Metro Gymnastics Center meet, Riverside athletes Sara Abrams, Avery Cardosi, Audrey Hinatsu, Keagan Rice and Taylor Sugg all contributed scores to bring in the third-place hardware.

“Our level 6s have placed third in two of the three meets they have competed in this fall,” said Smith. “Getting in the top three at sectionals will be very hard.”

Oregon is divided into the Northern Section, and the Southern Section.

“There are about 15 teams in the Northern Sectionals, and they are some of the best teams in the state, most of which are from the Portland area, many with gyms of 500-1,000 students,” Smith said. In comparison, Riverside has about 200 students.

 “We are amazed and excited to see our team be competitive with these much larger teams,” Smith said. “We are hoping we can be in the top five at sectionals.”

Sectionals for level 5 and 6 are set for Nov. 21 in Beaverton.

Individual gymnasts must be invited to sectional competition by scoring a 32 – an average of  8.0 or better in beam, vault, floor and bars during the regular season.  All 27 of Riverside Gymnastics Academy’s team members have made sectionals, Smith said. “We are thrilled.”

Riverside Gymnastics Academy is a nonprofit, serving boys and girls of the mid-Columbia region. The gym is at 2221 River Road, The Dalles. On the web at: riverside-gym.org