Top Contenders gymnasts tune up for state

Top Contenders Gymnastics in Hudson prepared for the state meet April 20-22 in Tampa with strong showings at meets at Suncoast Gymnastics in New Port Richey and Stars & Stripes in Hudson.

Katrina Croman, 8, of Hudson, led Top Contenders at the Suncoast meet. She had the highest all-around score of 37.45 thanks in part to a 9.65 on floor exercises.

Brittany Shemwell, 10, of Spring Hill placed third all-around (37.10). Courtney Schug, 8, of Spring Hill placed fourth, and Sheleena Enix, 9, of Hudson took fifth.

In Level 4, Lauren Cramer, 12, of Spring Hill had the highest score on floor with a 9.15. Amanda Dunn, 12, of Spring Hill placed second on beam (9.25).

A group of 8-year-olds from Spring Hill dominated the Level 5 competition.

Lucky Hamilton placed first all-around by taking first on beam and vault.

Ellen Pribil took second on beam and floor to finish second all-around. Kristi Strazzullo won bars and placed second on vault to finish third all-around.

Nine-year old Haley Clark of Spring Hill used a first-place showing on vault to finish third all-around.

In the Optional Level, Emily Brown won beam (9.45) and placed second on floor (9.45) in the 8-year-old division. Shelby Williams won the 10-year-old all-around competition with a score of 35.90.

Victoria Kardos won beam (9.50) and all-around (35.75) for 15-year-olds.

Nicole Bonacasa won the 13-year old floor (9.30) and all-around (35.45) competition, finishing just ahead of Kasey Stamper in the all-around (35.20).

Jackie Ryan, Shannon LeBlanc and Kimberlee Randle also placed in individual events.

Shannon Alfonso led the Top Contenders boys at the Stars & Stripes meet, placing first on rings (9.60) and all-around (54.90).

Austin Sievers won rings (9.70) and all-around (54.05). Dustin Funderburg's score of 9.75 on the high bar was meet's the highest individual event score.

Alex Horvath (second), Robert Andersen (second), Kyle Horvath (third) and Aaron Stubbelfield (fourth) also had strong performances.

In girls modified optionals, Taura McDougal and Bonacasa took top honors.

McDougal won bars (9.1), vault and all-around (33.60) among 12-year-olds. Bonacasa won all-around in the 13-year-old division with a score of 35.05.

Brown, 8, of Spring Hill had the highest all-around score among the gym's modified optional girls in any age division (35.35). She won vault and took second on beam, third on floor and fourth on bars to place second all-around.

Jackie Ryan (first), Shelby Williams (first), LeBlanc (second), Kardos (third) and Karlee Burrows (fifth) also won individual medals in modified optional girls.

In Level 5, Samantha Ryan (9) took first on the uneven bars, second on vault and second all-around. Megan Murchio (8) placed first in two events to place third all-around.

Lucky Hamilton (8) was second all-around, and Strazzullo (8) third. Kayla Rizzo (10), Karissa Mendez (7) and Pribil (8) each placed fourth in their age groups, and Clark finished fifth.

Shemwell had the highest all-around score (36.75) to lead the Level 2 team fo a first-place finish. Croman placed third, Schug fifth, Kayla Terry (8) sixth and Samantha Roetman (8) seventh.

Robin Atkeson (9) won the all-around in Level 4.

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