McGahey, Dotson finish on up notes

TACOMA – Two Greater Spokane League gymnasts ended the 2005-06 season with top-six finishes Saturday during the State 4A individual event championships at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.

University senior Kayla McGahey finished fifth on the uneven bars with a score of 9.25 and Mead junior Ashley Dotson placed sixth on the balance beam, scoring a 9.2.

The top 10 girls in each event from Friday’s competition made the individual event championships.

“The finals are so fun. I just wanted to make it and not finish last,” McGahey said. “I wish I could have done better. I know I can do better.”

McGahey’s bars routine was .025 better than her fourth-place attempt last year.

Dotson took advantage of a couple of falls by competitors and nailed a backflip on the beam, matching her 9.2 from Friday.

“I was a little nervous about the tuck, because I haven’t done it in three weeks,” Dotson said. “I was like, ‘I just need to go for it,’ and once I did it was good to get it over with.”

Dotson was seventh on the floor exercise and eighth in the vault last year, but missed districts with mononucleosis this season.

“I think that, since I came back from mono two weeks ago, it was good for me to come back and make a beam routine,” Dotson said.