Arena Gymnastics captures state title

Level 7 team adds another crown

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   The Arena Gymnastics of Princeton Level 7 team captured the New Jersey state championship with an outstanding score of 114.45 during the NJ State Championship meet, which was held Jan. 9 at Henderson Gymnastics in Edison. Many of the girls on this team had won the Level 5 state championship in 2003.
   Kayleigh McLaughlin of Montgomery took first place in her Level 7 category, for age 11, with a phenomenal overall score of 37.725. McLaughlin took first place on vault (9.5), second place on beam (9.550) and floor (9.3), and sixth place on bars (9.375). Felicity Smith of West Windsor took fourth place in this same age group with an overall score of 36.875, capturing second place on bars with a score of 9.550. Both McLaughlin and Smith were Level 5 state champions in 2003.
   Kelsey Daniels of West Windsor came in third place all around in the 10-year-old category with an impressive total score of 37.675. Daniels took third place on floor with a 9.5. She was also a Level 5 state champion in 2003, and was named Compulsory Athlete of the Year in 2003.
   Also in the 10-year-old category, Jaine’ VanPutten took second place with an overall score of 37.825, finishing second on beam (9.525). Hunter Dennis took fifth place overall with a score of 37.475, dominating the vault with an impressive score of 9.675 and taking second place on bars (9.6) and floor (9.525). Dennis was Arena’s Level 4 state champion in 2001.
   Lindsay Carbone of South Brunswick took third place on the bars (9.575) and sixth place overall. Drew Bristol took third place on vault (9.575) and 10th place overall with a 36.7 overall score. Samantha Hering of Montgomery was unfortunately unable to compete on all events due to a knee injury, but scored an outstanding 9.4 on the bars and took 8th place.
   Gabrielle Swain of Montgomery took third place overall in the 8-year-old category with an impressive score of 37.075. She finished in first place on the vault (9.65) and second place on floor (9.4) and on beam (9.3). Shannon Martin of South Brunswick, Arena’s only competitor at the age 12 level, took sixth place overall with a score of 36.125. Ingrid Simon of West Windsor also competed at this level in the age 11 group.
   Overall the day was another outstanding success for Arena Gymnastics.
   "These girls have worked hard all year and have really worked beautifully as a team," according to coaches Magda and Valdi Kolasa.
   The girls will now set their sights on their first Level 8 competition, the prestigious Parkette’s Invitational in Allentown, Pa. on Jan. 27.