Summies Crown Multiple State and Inter-State Regional Champions

The Summit Summies Gymnastics Team from sent 51 gymnasts to Wildwood over the Memorial Day holiday to compete in the N.J. State Championship against the best teams in the state.

Later in the weekend, the Summies took on teams from New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland in the USAIGC Regional Championship.  The results built on a season of tremendous success, proving again that the Summies are a gymnastics force both within New Jersey, and in the Northeast Region as well.  The girls brought home 3 team titles, 6 All-Around titles, 21 event championships and more than 240 medals from their three-day extravaganza at the beach.

Copper Team Sweeps Team Awards -- NJ and Regional Champions

The Summies Copper team was nearly undefeated in invitational meets this year, losing only one time, so they were anxious to prove their dominance at the NJ State Championship.  The girls, all in their first year of competition, were almost unstoppable, and they won both the NJ State Championship and the Regional Championship.

In the Junior age category, Catherine Singow was the meet champion with a 38.05.  She won vault (9.575), beam (9.55) and floor (9.575), and she finished 2nd on bars (9.35).  Emily Weisman finished 3rd overall with a 36.425.  She finished 2nd on beam with a season-high 9.325, 3rd on bars (9.25) and 7th on floor (9.0).  Sophie Wisniewski finished 4th overall with a season-high 36.175.  She was 3rd on vault (9.15) and floor (9.375) and 6th on beam (9.0).

In the Senior A age category, Murphy Degen became the overall state champion with a season-high 37.6.  She won vault (9.375), bars (9.45) and beam (9.525), and finished 4th on floor (9.25).  Team-mate Margaret Griffith finished with a silver medal with a 36.825.  She won 2nd on beam (9.225), 3rd on vault (9.3), 4th on bars (9.25) and 8th on floor (9.05).  Emma Claus completed the sweep finishing 3rd overall with a 36.65.  She won 2nd place on vault (9.35) and beam (9.225) and 6th on bars (9.225).  Other Summies in the Senior A age group were:

Miranda Borra, finished 5th AA (36.3), 5th on vault (9.1), 4th on beam (9.2)

Kasey Walsh, finished 6th AA (36.125), 4th on bars (9.25), 4th on floor (9.25), 8th on beam (8.95)

Charlotte Girouard, finished 7th AA (35.6), 8th on beam (8.95), 8th on bars (9.1)

Dana Efron, finished 11th AA (35.075), 8th on beam (8.725)

Isabel Claus, finished 12th AA (34.825), 7th on bars (9.2) and beam (8.75)

Sophia Schachne, finished 16th AA (33.775), best event was bars (8.9)

Sofia Wilson, finished 17th AA (33.75), best event was bars (8.95)

In the Senior B age group, Ruby Hodges finished 2nd overall with a 37.025.  She won bars with a season best 9.45, finished 4th on beam (9.1) and floor (9.275) and 5th on vault (9.2).  Julie Phipps finished 4th overall with a 36.675.  She finished 2nd on bars (9.35) and floor (9.45) and 6th on beam (8.95).  Other Summies in the Senior B age group were:

Anna Forrest, finished 6th AA (36.625), 3rd on bars (9.3) and floor (9.375)

Lucia Borra, finished 13th AA (34.575), 8th on bars (9.25)

Haley Bernstein, finished 15th AA (34.55), 8th on beam (8.9)

Catherine Singow again dominated the Junior age category, winning every single event, becoming the All-Around regional champion with a 37.825.  Emily Weisman finished 3rd overall with a 36.1.  She finished 2nd on bars (9.25), and 3rd on beam (8.95) and floor (8.95).  Sophie Wisniewski finished 6th overall with a 35.675.  She finished 4th on beam (8.775) and 5th on vault (9.15).

In the Senior A division, Julie Phipps was crowned regional champion with a 36.6.  She won 2nd place on vault (9.425), bars (9.325) and floor (9.175).  Team-mates Anna Forrest and Ruby Hodges tied for 2nd place overall with 36.55.  Anna finished 3rd on vault (9.25), 2nd on beam (9.15) and 4th on floor (9.0).  Ruby won floor (9.35) and bars (9.4) and finished 5th on beam (8.9).  Lucia Borra had a 34.6 all-around score.  She won 3rd place on bars (9.2).

In the Junior B division, Summies were led by Murphy Degen who finished 4th overall with a 36.075.  She won bars (9.475) and won 3rd place on beam (9.025).  Miranda Borra finished 5th overall with a 35.875.  She won 4th place on beam (8.95) and 7th place on both vault (9.0) and bars (9.225).  Margaret Griffith finished 6th overall with a 35.825.  She won beam with a 9.175.  Other Summies in the Junior B division were:

Kasey Walsh finished 8th AA (35.725), 7th on beam (8.825), 4th on floor (9.0)

Charlotte Girouard finished 9th AA (35.525), 4th on bars (9.4)

Emma Claus finished 11th AA (35.375), 4th on vault (9.2) and 8th on beam (8.775)

Dana Efron finished 15th AA (35.00), 6th on bars (9.275)

Isabel Claus finished 17th AA (34.85), 5th on vault (9.05) and 9th on bars (9.1)

Sophia Schachne earned 34.4 AA, best event bars (8.9)

Sofia Wilson earned 33.55 AA, best events bars and beam (8.5)

Bronze Team Won Ninth Place in NJ, and Moves Up to Fourth Place in the Region

In the State Championship, Kayleigh Driscoll led the Summies to their ninth place team result by finishing 5th overall in the 10 year old age division with a 35.875.  She won 2nd place on bars (8.95), 7th on floor (9.1), 9th on vault (8.875) and 10th on beam (8.95).  Sofia Confalonieri finished 12th in the state with a 34.275.  She won 2nd place on beam (9.35) and 9th on floor (8.925).  Other Summies in the 10 Year Old Age Division were:

Julia Ippolito finished 14th AA with a 34.15, best event was floor (8.9)

Mareike de Lanversin earned 33.05 AA, best event was beam (8.75)

Isabella Leonard earned 33.05 AA, won 4th on floor (9.2)

Alison Lee earned 31.775 AA, best event was floor (8.7)

Essie Pasternak earned 31.225 AA, won 9th place on floor (8.925)

Jane Wagner, event specialist, best event was floor 8.4

In the 11 year old age division, Grace Bauman finished 7th overall with a 35.00.  She won 3rd place on bars (9.0) and 5th on floor (9.025).  Devon Degen finished 8th overall with a 34.875.  She won 3rd on beam (8.575) and 8th on bars (8.85).  Sally Carnevale competed as an event specialist and won 8th place on floor with a 9.0. 

Tess Ostroff was the only Summie to compete in the 12 year old age division, and she won the beam championship with a 9.225.  She also won 6th place on floor and 7th overall.

In the Regional Championship meet later in the weekend, Kayleigh Driscoll led the Summies with her 1st place finish in the 10 year old age division with a 35.75.  She also won 2nd on bars (8.8), beam (9.05) and floor (9.3).  Sofia Confalonieri won 2nd place overall with a 35.0.  She won beam (9.2) and floor (9.4).  Julia Ippolito finished 14th in the region with a 33.7.  She won 3rd on floor (9.25) and 7th on beam (8.7).  Also in the 10 year old age division at Regionals were:

Essie Pasternak earned 32.85 AA, 7th on vault (8.5)

Mareike de Lanversin earned 32.725 AA, won 3rd place on beam (8.9)

Alison Lee earned 32.45 AA, earned special "artistry" award for her floor routine (9.0)

Isabella Leonard earned 32.35 AA, 4th place on floor (9.1)

Jane Wagner, event specialist, best event was floor 8.35

Grace Bauman led the 11 year old age division finishing 5th overall with a 34.65.  She won 2nd on floor (9.25), 4th on beam (8.85) and 5th on bars (8.6).  Devon Degen earned a 33.875 overall and won 5th place on beam (8.8).  Tess Ostroff earned a 33.35 overall in the 12 year old age division, and won 5th place on floor (9.15).

Silver Team Wins Ninth Place in NJ and Improves to Second Place in the Region

In the NJ State Championship, Emily Donohue led the Summies, finishing 6th in the Senior age division with a 35.6.  She won 3rd place in NJ on floor (9.275), 6th on bars (8.775) and 7th on vault (9.3).  Naomi Schachter also competed in the Senior division earning a 32.7 overall score.  Her best event was vault (8.6).

In the Junior B division, Margaret Robb led the Summies, finishing 2nd overall with a 35.55.  She won 3rd on vault (9.225) and bars (8.6) and 4th on beam (8.875).  Kaitlin Stewart finished 9th overall with a 35.1.  She won 5th place on beam (8.925).  Kiera Little and Ginny Collins finished tied for 10th place overall with a 34.85.  Kiera won 5th place on vault (9.2) and 6th on beam (8.75).  Ginny won 3rd place on floor (9.275) and 6th place on bars (8.55).   Other girls in the Junior B division were:

Cassie Ippolito finished 13th overall with a 34.55.  She won 8th on beam (8.65) and 7th on floor (9.15). 

Stella Spotts finished 15th overall with a 34.35.  She won 2nd place on floor (9.475). 

Alexis Greenblatt earned a 32.675 in the all-around.  Her best event was floor (8.775).

In the Junior A division, Claire Murdock finished 10th overall with a 35.375.  She won 6th place on vault (9.2) and 7th on beam (9.0).  Anna Bowyer finished 20th overall with a 34.15.  Her best event was floor (8.95).  Other girls in the Junior A division were:

Anna Griffith earned 33.475 AA, won 9th place on floor (9.1)

Caroline Griffith earned 33.35 AA, won 10th place on beam (8.875)

Emily Vinick earned 30.25 AA, best event was floor (8.2)

Summies' Emily Donohue became the overall meet champion of the Junior age division in the inter-state regional meet later in the weekend with a 36.4.  She finished 2nd on floor (9.2), 4th on beam (9.0) and 7th on both bars (9.025) and vault (9.175).  Anna Bowyer finished 7th overall with a 35.325.  She won 5th place on bars (9.05).  Claire Murdock finished 12th overall with a 34.975.  She won 9th place on beam (8.775).  Ginny Collins finished 14th with a 34.85.  She won floor with a 9.25 and finished 9th on bars (8.8).  Also in the Junior age division at Regionals were:

Margaret Robb finished 16th AA with a 34.7, vault champion (9.5).

Kiera Little finished 17th AA with a 34.675, won 10th on vault (9.0). 

Caroline Griffith finished 18th AA with a 34.55, won 3rd on beam (9.05) and 8th on floor (8.95).

Cassie Ippolito finished 20th AA with a 34.125, won 11th on floor (8.9).

Naomi Schachter earned a 33.925 overall.  Her best event was floor (8.75).

Kaitlin Stewart earned a 33.8 overall.  She won 4th place on beam(9.0).

Alexis Greenblatt earned 32.475 AA, best event was floor (8.675).

Gold Girls Finish Second in NJ and Become Regional Champions

In the NJ State Championship, the Summies were led by Alysia Lopez, who finished 2nd overall with a 35.325.  She won 2nd on bars (9.1) and floor (9.25) and 3rd on vault (8.625).  Abby Claus finished 5th overall with a 34.95.  She won the beam (8.95) and finished 6th on both vault (8.55) and floor (9.0).  Noa Efron finished 8th in the Senior division with a 33.1.  She was the beam champion with a 8.575.  Callie DePhillips competed as an event specialist and won 4th place on floor with a 8.95.

In the Regional Championship, Alysia Lopez finished 2nd overall with a 35.3.  She won vault (8.575) and finished 2nd on both bars (9.225) and floor (9.0).  Abby Claus finished 3rd overall with a 34.8.  She finished 2nd on both beam (8.7) and floor (9.0).  Noa Efron finished 5th overall with a 33.05.  Her best event was floor (8.85).  Callie DePhillips competed as an event specialist.  Her best event was floor (8.55).

Alison Horne, of Berkeley Heights, is a member of the Summit Summies Gold Team who was unable to compete at States and Regionals due to an injury.  However, she was honored by the USAIGC, along with other high school seniors, for their longevity in the grueling sport of gymnastics.  The Summies have been fortunate to have Ali's leadership and skill over her gymnastics career, and are so proud of her many accomplishments as a student and an athlete.  She will have one more chance to compete as a Summie, as she's been entered for the US National Championships to be held next month in Florida.  The Summies look forward to hearing about life in the SEC when she returns home from her freshman year at Louisiana State University.  

Nationals Up Next

As a result of the Summies' strong performances at States and Regional Championships, nearly all of the gymnasts are eligible to compete in the USAIGC National and International Championship to be held at the end of June in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.  The Summies plan to send 15 gymnasts from those who qualified to represent New Jersey in this prestigious event.  They hope to capitalize on the girls' experiences this season and close out this amazing season with a few more wins.

The Summit Summies Team is a member of the United States Association of Independent Gymnastics Clubs, Inc. and is part of the gymnastics program offered by The Connection for Women & Families.  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.