Top Contenders Gymnastics Academy took five girls, nine boys and seven dancers to Detroit to compete at the AAU Junior Olympics on July 29-Aug. 1.
The group, stocked with Spring Hill gymnasts, returned to its Hudson home with 23 gold medals, 19 silver and 12 bronze.
Graduating senior Bianca Nemes, 17, enjoyed one of the best performances of her career, placing fourth all-around. She scored 9.275 on floor, 9.0 on beam and 8.65 on vault.
Emily Brown, 10, placed fourth all-around in the tryouts, finishing first on balance beam, fifth on vault, sixth on floor and fourth all-around in her age group.
She was one of 50 girls ages 8-11 that advanced to the final on balance beam. She scored a personal-best 9.45 on the beam, good enough for fifth in the nation, only .10 out of first.
Megan Ryan, 15, also had a strong showing on beam, scoring 9.425. She had 9.25 on floor, 8.45 on vault and 34.45 all-around. Qualifying for the finals on beam, Ryan had the best routine of her career, scoring 9.45, .10 out of first.
Ryan's sister, Jackie, 13, qualified for the final with 9.10. Her all-around score of 33.775 was fifth.
Nicole Bonacasa, 15, placed eighth on floor with a 9.20 and 21st all-around.
The dance team of Juli Randle, Kim Randle, Allie Strazzullo, Nicole Bonacasa, Tania Trentacoste, Kristi Strazzullo and Emily Brown received a silver medal while performing to a Metallica song. Allie Strazzullo also claimed a silver for her performance to "Lost In Your Eyes."
The team was named best in the nation.
The boys team was not to be outdone.
James Bruce, 10, had the boys highest all-around score of 54.90. A first-year competitor, Bruce took first on rings (9.4), pommel horse (9.35), parallel bars (9.05) and high bar (9.05), second on floor (9.5) and third on vault (8.55).
Dustin Funderburg, 15, had first-place finishes in all six events to place first in the all-around with a score of 54.35 in his age group for Class 5. Austin Sievers, 11, placed first in his age group with 54.30 in Class 5. He was first on rings, parallel bars and high bar.
Rounding out the Class 5 team was Alex Horvath, 11, whose first in vault and second, third and fourth in other events earned him second all-around (49.35).
Horvath's brother, Kyle, 10, was first on pommel horse and second, third or fourth in his other events to take fourth all-around (48.55).
In Class 6 Anthony Carlucci, 10, was first on floor and parallel bars, second on pommel horse, rings and high bar and fourth on vault. He finished second all-around (54.15).
Erik Krause, 8, finished third on floor, fourth on pommel horse and parallel bars, fifth on vault and high bar and sixth on rings to take fourth all-around (50.70).
Christopher Hammelman, 10, finished first on vault, third on high bar, fourth on floor and fifth on pommel horse, rings and parallel bars to take fifth all-around (49.65).
The youngest athlete on the boys team, 6-year-old Sean Krause, placed second in all six events to earn a silver medal in all-around (49.80) in Level 7.
