Thomas Jefferson gynmasts win only home meet of the season by a point

Rylee Cabang shines in final home meet of senior year for Raiders.

By Benjamin Ray • December 12, 2025 2:10 pm

In their one and only home match of the season, the Thomas Jefferson Raiders gymnastics team eked out a team win over Decatur and Kentlake on Dec. 10.

Thomas Jefferson finished with 146.15 points after all events, just beating Decatur’s 145.25, while Kentlake finished with 111.65 points.

The Raiders had over 40 girls come out for for the early days of practice, which according to head coach Kari Burt was the most statewide. The numbers have dwindled to around 28 competing gymnasts, but still are great numbers for Burt and her team. Among the leaders is senior Rylee Cabang.

Cabang was the leading point scorer on Dec. 10 with a 35.650 total across the four events, uneven bars (8.8), beam (9.0) and the floor exersice (9.5). Cabang won three out of the four events, with Amyah Johnson of Decatur winning the vault event over Cabang (8.4 for Johnson, 8.35 Cabang).

Johnson was the standout performer for Decatur as she was second in the other three events besides the one she narrowly beat Cabang in, the vault.

Amyah Johnson reaches for the bar in her uneven bar routine. Ben Ray / The Mirror

Thomas Jefferson also was the recipient of a grant from Sports in Schools over the offseason and used the money to get new leotards for every athlete. Last year, Raider gymnasts were sometimes short on leotards and would end up having to share with a teammate, said Burt. Leotards run around $300 apiece, and now each girls can have their own for the entire season, thanks to Sports in Schools.

Former Seattle Seahawks running back and current executive director of Sports in Schools Robert Turbin came to Thomas Jefferson a week prior to the meet and talked to the Raider gymnasts, and even held a media event for them in their new leotards.

Kentlake had Lilly Rowland as their highest scorer with 23.4.