Valley Teams Show Strength At State Gymnastics Finals

Spokane has produced six individual state gymnastics champions and won a team title in 1970, three years before it officially became a WIAA sport.

But coaches Stacey Heaton of University and Kim Brunelle of Central Valley couldn’t remember a time they had as many individuals participating in one state final.

Although last weekend’s meet signaled the end of the careers of six Titan seniors and two Bears, it was the teams’ younger gymnasts who starred.

Titans Kim Meyers, Kalie Cossette and CV’s Lindsey Linerud all placed among the state’s top 10 individuals at last week’s state meet in Tacoma.

Linerud, a freshman, finished seventh in floor exercise, moving up from 10th place with her 9.375 score.

Cossette, a sophomore, placed in two events. She was tied for eighth on floor exercise and 10th on vault.

Meyers, a junior, shared eighth on beam. She was in seventh place allaround with a 35.6 during team competition.

“She got off the beam two seconds too soon or would have taken first on it the first day,” said Heaton.

They had qualified for Saturday’s individual finals during team competition the day before during which the Titans placed fifth at 168.675 and CV sixth at 162.475, their highest finishes ever.

“Scoring-wise we did better than our teams in the past,” said Brunelle. “And I don’t remember when we had that many girls in finals.”

In an aside, Brunelle expressed concerns for the future of the sport at the high school level.

CV Principal Paul Sturm said that there has been on-going discussion because of lack of state wide participation and safety. But he said, the sport was in no immediate danger.

That’s good news for the two schools who have dominated the Greater Spokane League.

Because at state, youth was served.