Summies Bring Home 75 Medals from State, Regional Championships

The Summit Summies Gymnastics Team from sent 18 gymnasts to compete in the USAIGC NJ State Championship and Eastern Regional Final over Memorial Day weekend in Wildwood, New Jersey.

Gymnasts competed against the top 32 teams in New Jersey, and then in a second, separate meet, met the top 13 teams in the Region coming from New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.  The girls brought home an astonishing 75 medals, several team titles, several event and all-around championships, and a few sunburns.

Copper Team Third in State, First in Region
Grace Bauman All-Around State Champ!

The Summies Copper team continued its winning ways, led by 10-year-old Grace Bauman.  In the state meet, Grace finished third on bars (9.075), second on beam (9.175) and she won both the vault (9.25) and the floor (9.8).  Her floor score of 9.8 was the highest score in the meet for the entire weekend, and is only the third time in the 30+ year history of the Summies that a gymnast has scored a 9.8 or higher.  She won the all-around with a commanding 37.3.

In the 8-9 year old age group, Essie Pasternack led the Summies with a seventh place all-around (35.25).  She also placed fourth on the floor with a 9.3 and fifth on vault with a 9.1.  Rasika Dronmraju finished 12th in the state with a 35.075 and she also won medals for her fourth place finish on both bars (8.775) and beam (9.0).  Julia Ippolito finished 15th in the state with a 34.4.  Julia's best event was the floor where she earned an 8.75.  Jane Wagner finished 19th in the state with a 33.275.  Jane received a medal on beam with an 8.975.

Later in the weekend, Grace Bauman continued her strong showing finishing third in the region with a 35.7 all-around.  She also medaled on beam 9.25 and floor 9.25.  Rasika Dronmraju had an amazing regional championship, and she finished fourth in the region with a 35.65, while medaling in both bars (9.1) and beam (9.0).  Julia Ippolito finished eighth in the region with a 34.8 all-around, and she medaled on the bars with an 8.9.  Essie Pasternack finished 9th in the region with a 34.35.  Her best event was floor where she earned an 8.95.  Alison Lee finished 10th in the region with a 34.2 all-around.  Alison's best event was bars with an 8.85.  Jane Wagner finished 12th in the region with a 33.6 all-around.  Jane' best event was beam where she earned an 8.85.  The Copper team's strong regional showing gave them the overall team championship!

Bronze Team Third in Region
Margaret Robb All-Around State Champ

The Summies Bronze team was led by 11-year-old Margaret Robb who is now the NJ State Champion in beam (9.55), floor (9.425) and all-around (36.325).  She also received medals for her third place vault (8.8) and her second place bars (8.55).  In the 12-14 year old age group, Naomi Schachter finished eighth in the state with a 35.15, and she also medaled in fourth place on bars with a 9.0 and in ninth place on beam with an 8.725.  Sarah Illis finished 23rd in the state with a 32.8 all around score.  Her best event was floor where she earned an 8.4.

The Bronze team improved its overall standing to finish third in the Region behind strong performances by all three gymnasts.  Margaret Robb is the regional floor champion with a 9.475, and she also medaled with her fourth place vault (8.6), third place beam (9.375), second place bars (9.35) and her second place all-around score of 36.8.  In the 12-14 year old age group, Naomi Schachter finished sixth in the region in the all-around with a 34.7, and finished second on bars with a season-high 9.275.  Sarah Illis finished 13th in the region with a 33.75, and she also won a fourth place medal on bars with an 8.8.

Silver Team Eighth in State, Third in Region
Kiera Little Regional Vault Champ

In the State Championship meet, the Summies Silver team was led by 12-year-old Abby Claus who finished fifth in the state with a 35.3 all-around.  She also finished third on bars with a 9.275 and fifth on beam with a 9.05.  Noa Efron finished seventh in the state with a 34.525 all-around, while medaling on bars (8.75) and beam (9.175).  Kiera Little finished 10th in the state with a 34.3 all around.  She had a season-high 9.2 beam routine, winning not only the third place medal, but one of the coveted team "Beam Bears."  She also medaled on floor with a 9.05.  Emily Donohue finished 13th in the state with a 33.95 and finished 4th on floor with a 9.05.  Kaitlin Stewart finished 18th in the state with a 33.4 all-around.  Her best event was an 8.9 on beam.

Later in the weekend, the Silver Team finished a strong Regional Championship by winning third place in the team competition.  Abby Claus finished fourth in the region with a 36.1 all-around.  She also received third place medals on bars with a 9.225 and beam with a 9.15.  Kiera Little finished fifth in the region with a 35.225 all-around.  She was the overall regional vault champion with a 9.225.  Ginny Collins finished seventh in the region with a 34.1 all-around score.  Her best event was beam where she scored a 9.1.  Emily Donohue finished eighth in the region with a 34.05, and also medaled with a fourth place finish on beam where she scored a 9.25.   Kaitlin Stewart finished 10th in the region with a 33.1 all-around.  Her best event was floor where she scored a 9.0.  Noa Efron finished 12th in the region with a 32.8 all-around.  Her best event was also floor where she scored an 8.75.

The Summies Gold team was led by 11-year-old Alysia Lopez who finished third in the state with a 33.85.  She also medaled on bars with a second place routine that earned an 8.9.  In the 15 and older age group, Callie DePhillips finished eighth in the state with a 30.8.  Callie finished fourth on floor with an 8.8.  Alison Horne, competing as an event specialist, finished sixth in the state on floor with an 8.65.

Later in the weekend, the Gold Team finished second in the region.  Along the way, Alysia Lopez became the bars champion with a 9.0, received a silver medal on both beam (9.0) and floor (8.9) and finished in third place in the region with a 34.4 all-around.  In the 15 and older age group, Callie DePhillips finished sixth in the region with a 30.125 all-around.  Event specialist Alison Horne won the silver medal on floor with an 8.925.

The Summit Summies is a USA Gymnastics Junior Olympic Team that is part of the gymnastics program offered by The Connection for Women & Families at 79 Maple Street, Summit.  The team consists of girls, ages 7 through 17 years who practice 2 to 5 days a week in the Connection's state-of-the-art facility.  Anyone interested in instructional, competitive gymnastics or summer gymnastics camp should call 908-273-4242 and ask for Tracy Burkholder, Director of Gymnastics.