The State Gymnastics Individual Championships produced event champions in two divisions Saturday at Wisconsin Rapids High School Lincoln in Wisconsin Rapids.
Junior Molly Benavides of Burlington/Badger/Catholic Central/Wilmot won her third straight title on the balance beam, scoring a 9.617. She was also crowned champion in the vault with a score of 9.617. Her teammate, senior Jenna Fitzpatrick, shared the gold in the uneven bars with sophomore Amanda Pennow of Brookfield East/Central. Both scored a 9.633 on the apparatus.
Sophomore Sam Balcerak of Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall was the champion in the floor exercise with a routine scoring 9.567, and junior Jorin Fredman of Arrowhead placed first in the all-around competition with a four-event total of 38.217, edging Benavides, who compiled a 38.034.
In Division 2, senior Lily Hayes of Whitefish Bay won the all-around and the uneven bars. Her score of 37.301 narrowly better that of sophomore Jessee Lerud of Grantsburg/Luck/Unity, who recorded a score of 37.268. Hayes’ winning effort on the bars was scored a 9.567. Lerud won a title of her own. She was the victor on the balance beam with a 9.367.
Freshman Aly Yurkowitz of Whitefish Bay made quite an impression in her first State competition, winning the floor exercise with a score of 9.417. Junior Alex Van Gilder of Rice Lake/Cumberland vaulted her way to the title with a score of 9.367.
On Friday, a pair of perennial high school gymnastics programs continued its success at the State Gymnastics Team Championships
The Franklin/Muskego/Oak Creek/Whitnall co-op won the Division 1 team championship for the fourth straight season with a score of 147.285, narrowly outscoring the Burlington/Badger/Catholic Central/Wilmot co-op with 147.233 points. It was also the fourth straight season the Burlington co-op placed runner-up.
Whitefish Bay won its third Division 2 team championship in the last four seasons with a score of 144.5. Mount Horeb finished runner-up with a team total of 141.582. Whitefish Bay has now won six State championships, and has an additional two titles that came with a cooperative arrangement with Shorewood.