The AAU Southeast Regional Qualifier was held April 30 – May 1 at the Harris YMCA in Charlotte, N.C. Foothills Gymnastics Academy had 19 Level 2 – Level 8 gymnasts compete to represent N.C. in the Southeast Regional Championship to be held in June.

Every Foothills gymnast qualified for either Team 1 (ranking 1 – 6) or Team 2 (ranking 7 – 12) in her level and age group. In addition to the competition to earn team placement, each gymnast also competed for individual honors.

In the Level 2 competition, Foothills Gymnastics was represented by Madison Geddings, Scout Harmon, Amelia Nespeca, Grace Strader and Ella Waldman. In the 5 – 6-year-old age group, Foothills took both the first and second place honors with Grace Strader winning first place All-Around (35.9) and Ella Waldman winning second place All-Around (34.850).

Grace Strader, daughter of Tom and Belle Strader of Columbus and a kindergartner at Lake Lure Academy, placed first on vault (9.350), second on bars (8.5), first on beam (9.250) and first on floor (8.8).

Ella Waldman, daughter of Ethan and Renae Waldman of Tryon and a Tryon Elementary kindergartner, won second on vault (9.2), first on bars (8.6), second on beam (8.750) and second on floor (8.3).

In the Level 2, age 7 group, Scout Harmon won first All Around (35.95). Harmon, daughter of Jeff and Kristin Harmon of Tryon, also tied for fifth place on the vault (8.8), won first on bars (9.2), first on beam (9.1) and second on floor (8.850). Harmon is a second grade student at Tryon Elementary.

In the Level 2, age 8 and up group, Madison Geddings of Tryon won first All Around (36.7) and teammate Amelia Nespeca of Landrum won fifth place (35.850) All-Around honors. Geddings, daughter of Jay and Lori Geddings, also won second place on vault (9.3), first on bars (9.2), second on beam (9.150) and third place on floor (9.050). Geddings is a second grader at Mountain Community School in Hendersonville. Nespeca, daughter of John Nespeca and Mindy Wiener, won sixth place on vault (8.9), sixth place on bars (8.7), sixth on beam (9.0) and won first place on floor (9.250). Nespeca is a third grader at O.P. Earle Elementary in Landrum.

Foothills Gymnastics had four girls compete in Level 3: Ragan Ashmore, Rollins Carter, Julia Griffin and Elsie-Morrah Padgett. The 8-year-old division was split into Group A and Group B, each with 11 participants. For Group A, Ragan Ashmore, third grader at O.P. Earle and the daughter of Warren and Jackie Ashmore, won second All-Around honors (36.150). Ashmore also won second on vault (9.1), second on bars (9.0), eighth on beam (8.8) and second on floor (9.250).

In Level 3 Group B, Rollins Carter placed second All-Around (36.6), followed by teammates Elsie-Morrah Padgett, who placed fourth All-Around (35.2), and Julia Griffin, who finished fifth All-Around (35.1). Carter, daughter of Robert and Margot Carter and a second grader at Tryon Elementary, won third place on vault (9.0), first on bars (9.350), fourth on beam (9.2) and fourth on floor (9.050). Padgett, second grade daughter of Edwin and Ashley Padgett, won sixth place on vault (8.6), fourth on bars (8.7), eighth on beam (8.8) and second on floor (9.1). Griffin, daughter of Ken and Tangela Griffin and Tryon Elementary second grader, took second place honors on vault (9.050), fifth place on bars (8.4), ninth on beam (8.7) and fifth place on floor (8.950).

Four Foothills Gymnasts competed in Level 4: Lily Nelson, Leah Bulleit, Kate Padgett and Jenna McInerney. Level 4, age 11 and under, had Foothills’ Lily Nelson winning third place All-Around honors (35.5), Leah Bulleit winning All-Around fourth place (35.350) and Kate Padgett winning sixth place All-Around honors (34.950).

Lily Nelson, fifth grade student at Tryon Elementary and daughter of Rich and Kim Nelson, also won third on vault (9.250), second on bars (8.7), ninth on beam (8.550) and second on floor (9.0).

Leah Bulleit, fifth grade student at Saluda School and daughter of Steve and Sandy Bulleit, won ninth on vault (9.0), third on bars (8.5), fourth on beam (9.0) and third place on floor (8.850).

Fifth grade Grace Christian school student Kate Padgett, daughter of Edwin and Ashley Padgett, also won second place on vault (9.3), fifth on bars (8.4), placed eighth on beam (8.6) and seventh on floor (8.650).

Level 4, ages 13 and up division had Foothills’ own Jenna McInerney taking first place in the All-Around (35.350). McInerney, daughter of Tara McInerney, is an eighth grade student at Polk County Middle School. McInerney won fourth on vault (8.850), first on bars (9.0), third on beam (8.7) and first place on floor (8.8).

Two gymnasts represented Foothills Gymnastics in the Level 5 division. Sydney Waldman, daughter of Ethan and Renae Waldman, won third place All-Around (35.0) in the ages 9 and under division. Waldman, third grade student at Tryon Elementary, also won third place on the vault (8.7), second place on bars (8.850), third place on beam (8.6) and won third place on floor (8.850).

Julianna Robbins, daughter of Arthur and Joy Robbins, won second place All-Around honors (35.1) (age 10 and up). Robbins, fourth grader at Tryon Elementary, also won fifth place on vault (8.4), third on bars (8.8), fourth place on beam (8.8) and won first place on floor (9.1).

Colleen Burke, seventh grade Polk County Middle School student, competed in Level 6. Burke won second place in the All-Around (34.950). Burke, daughter of Pat and Julie Burke, won eighth place on vault (8.7), third on bars (8.2), fourth on beam (9.0) and won first place on floor (9.050).

Modified Optional Division (age 13 and up) had Julia Skellie and Savannah Robbins competing for Foothills. Winning second place All-Around was Julia Skellie (35.150), ninth grade student at Landrum High School. Skellie is the daughter of David and Caroline Skellie and won second on vault (9.0), third on bars (8.4), second on beam (8.7) and won first place on floor (9.050).

Savannah Robbins, Polk County Middle School seventh grader, won fourth place All-Around honors (33.9). Robbins earned fourth place on vault (8.7), bars (8.3), beam (8.2) and tied for fourth place on floor (8.7). Robbins is the daughter of Arthur and Joy Robbins.

Mary-Kate Christiansen, Polk County High School junior, competed in Level 8. Daughter of Don and Lynne Christiansen, Christiansen won third place All-Around honors (34.20). Christiansen also won first place on vault (8.9), second on bars (9.0), fourth on beam (8.0) and placed seventh on floor (8.3).

Foothills Gymnastics Academy is located at 66 Academy Street in Tryon and coached by Jana Williamson. Eighteen Foothills gymnasts will next compete in Charlotte, N.C. May 21 – 22 in the North Carolina State AAU Championships.

– article submitted by Renae Waldman

Modified Optional and Level 6 Winners, from left: Colleen Burke, Savannah Robbins and Julia Skellie. (photo submitted)