GYMNASTICS: Beamer outdistances TJ in all-city meet, finishes undefeated

Published 12:58 pm Thursday, January 27, 2011

The Todd Beamer gymnastics team is primed for another run at a Class 4A state championship.

The Titans, who finished second during the 2010 State Gymnastics Meet in Tacoma, scored a season-high 175.2 points to win the four-way all-city meet Wednesday night at Federal Way High School. Beamer’s chief rival in the South Puget Sound League, Thomas Jefferson, finished up in second place Wednesday, also with a season-best total of 172.9 points.

Decatur edged Federal Way for third place. The Gators finished with 158.25 points, compared to the Eagles’ 157.05.

But the story Wednesday night was the impressive performance by the Titans. The sweep not only gave Beamer the SPSL regular season championship for the second year in a row, but also its second-straight unbeaten record.

Last year, the Titans (19-0) were perfect during the SPSL South season before winning the prestigious West Central District team championship and finishing as the runner-up behind Woodinville at state.

Beamer (18-1) junior Sam West was the individual star of the four-way meet, winning the all-around title with a career-best 37.55 points. West narrowly edged Jefferson junior Madi Kellar, who finished just one-tenth of a point behind West with 37.45.

West finished second in the all-around at state last year and Kellar ended up fifth for TJ.

West was just slightly more consistent on the night than Kellar. West had three second-places finishes and a third on vault on individual events. Kellar, on the other hand, won the uneven parallel bars (9.4), balance beam (9.6) and floor exercise (9.6), but ended up sixth on the vault.

West tallied a 9.45 on the vault, 9.3 on the bars, 9.2 on the balance beam and a 9.6 on the floor exercise.

Jefferson sophomore Monica Church finished third in all-around with 36.25 points, ended up second on the vault with a 9.45 and third on the bars (8.6).

Beamer teammates Cassie Peterson (36.1 points) and Kasey Johnson (35.4) followed in fourth and fifth, respectively. Peterson was also third on the floor exercise with a 9.5.

Anna Paradee was the star of the meet for Decatur after finishing in first-place on the vault (9.6).

Team scores: Beamer 175.2, Jefferson 172.9, Decatur 158.25, Federal Way 157.05.

All-around — 1, Sam West, B, 37.55; 2, Madi Keller, J, 37.45; 3, Monica Church, J, 36.25; 4, Cassie Peterson, B, 36.1; 5, Kasey Johnson, B, 35.4. Vault — 1, Anna Paradee, D, 9.6; 2 (tie), Monica Church, J, and Sam West, B, 9.45. Bars — 1, Madi Keller, J, 9.4; 2, Sam West, B, 9.3; 3, Monica Church, J, 8.6. Beam — 1, Madi Keller, J, 9.6; 2, Sam West, B, 9.2; 3, Jessica Freeborn, B, 9.15. Floor — 1, Madi Keller, J, 9.65; 2, Sam West, B, 9.6; 3, Cassie Peterson, B, 9.5.