Price-Williams, Hudson, Willis lead S.T.E.P. gymnasts at state
—Courtesy photo The S.T.E.P. Gymnastics team, pictured back row, from left to right: Antonella Peitz, Megan Price-Williams, Audrey Sheffler and Marianne Pinkerton. Front row: Sarah Hudson, Analise Mullen, Maison Crossingham, Isabelle Appl, Cadence Giese, Ellen Clark and Lacey Wathen.
SANDPOINT — The competitive gymnastics season has come to a close, with S.T.E.P. Gymnastics capping off the season by sending 23 athletes on a trip to Boise for the Idaho State Championships, where they competed in three different divisions: Xcel, Bronze and Silver and Gold.
The bronze team consisted of Taylor Payne, Rachel Hudson, Adeline Henney, Rylie Hancock and Eika and Eva Willis. The young team started off the morning of competition with some great performances. Eva Willis, the youngest member of S.T.E.P., was able to accomplish a feat that many girls twice her age only dream of accomplishing: Eva earned a first place finish on all four events — Bars, Beam, Vault, and Floor — and is the All-Around state champion for the Junior A division.
The bronze teams combined scores earned them a fifth place team finish.
The Silver Xcel division, the level with the largest number of competitive gymnasts in Idaho, consisted of team members Lacey Wathen, Marianne Pinkerton, Isabelle Appl, Cadence Giese, Ellen Clark, Maison Crossingham, Sarah Hudson, Megan Price-Williams, Audrey Sheffler, Analise Mullen and Antonella Peitz.
Two of the Silver team members, Hudson (Jr. B. division) and Price-Williams (Sr. B. division) took home state titles in their divisions. Mullen is your Bar and Beam individual event champion for the Senior A. Division. Clark showcased her power on the vault winning the state vault title in the Senior A. division. Wathen was able to perform her best bar routine of her competitive season, earning her a first place state title on the bars in the Junior B. division.
The determined Bronze and Silver level gymnasts managed to hit 17 beam routines in a row, with each team member staying on beam and earning scores in the upper 9’s on this challenging event, helping claim the team state title.
The Xcel Gold level team consisted of KayLee Tillberg, Lydia Nelsen, Nina Welp, Adelaide Heigel, Cali Iacolucci and Sofia Platte. The skills at the Gold level are very challenging and each girl on the state team trains hard to prepare and perfect many difficult skills on each event.
Nelsen finished on the podium three times with a 3rd on Floor, 3rd on Beam, and 3rd place All-Around finish. Welp took home the silver on bars, and a bronze finish on floor. Iacolucci swung her way to a 3rd place finish on the bars and a 3rd place All-around finish.
At the conclusion of the meet all of the gymnasts from Idaho have their scores ranked by their all-around scores. With more than 600 athletes competing, three athletes from S.T.E.P. had All around scores in the top 80, led by Price-Williams (Top 20), Hudson (Top 40) and Eva Willis (Top 70).
“The S.T.E.P. coaches are so proud of the competitors and their families commitment to training,” said head coach Chantel Whitley. “The girls’ positive spirits are contagious and they really made a positive presence in Boise for all involved.”
The competition season may be over, and now the hardworking S.T.E.P. athletes will prepare for their annual Cartwheels for Cancer fundraiser, which benefits local cancer patients and Community Cancer Services. Last year the girls did nearly 5,000 cartwheels in 90 minutes.
If you would like to support this fundraiser by sponsoring a cartwheeling athlete, please call S.T.E.P. Training Centre at (208) 290-4513.