Panthers claim 4A Eastern Regional crown

KENNEWICK – Not having Tonya Turner in the lineup inspired the Mead Panthers two weeks ago. As it turned out Saturday, having the senior gymnast back in the lineup was even more inspiring.

Turner and senior co-captain Ashley Dotson led the Panthers to the 4A Eastern Regional gymnastics team title at Southridge High School, claiming the lone Eastern Washington team berth in next week’s state tournament in Tacoma.

The Panthers amassed 173.025 team points, well ahead of Greater Spokane League rival and defending regional champion University, which totaled 168.550. Mead won the All-GSL meet two weeks ago by just .225 over the Titans. Central Valley was third with 161.4, followed by Richland (157.225), Shadle Park (151.8), Ferris (133.225), Rogers (112.725) and Lewis and Clark (112.225).

“Having Tonya back in the lineup certainly helps,” Mead coach Amanda Workman said. “We really wanted to see our seniors, Tonya and Ashley, go out like this. They’ve been such a big part of our program the past four years.

“Our seniors have been through this before, but so have our juniors and our sophomores. But always before there’s been the luxury of having a second state berth just in case.”

Turner, who competes with an irrepressible smile, strained an oblique muscle in her abdomen four weeks ago while working on the uneven bars and was sidelined for the end of the league season and for the league tournament.

“It wasn’t that hard not competing,” Turner said. “I was still involved with the team throughout the meet – I helped coach everyone through it.

“I’m glad I was able to rest up and come back and compete here. I did take out a few things in my routines that might put a strain on that area and I took out the move that I injured myself working on. Now I can rest for another week and go compete at state.”

The regional’s lone all-around state berth went to Richland’s Danielle Taylor, who posted an impressive mark of 36.725 points out of a possible 40.

With those state spots allocated, that left the rest of the region battling for three individual berths (plus ties) per event. In total, 13 state tickets were handed out and all went to GSL gymnasts.

Central Valley’s Courtney Sexton was the regional vault champion and added state berths in the beam and floor exercise, while teammate Jennifer Dimmler qualified in the beam and Maria Alderman in the bars.

University ‘s Tabitha Ward qualified in the vault, bars and floor exercise as the Titans locked up seven state individual berths. Monica Marmolejo earned state entry in the beam and floor, Courtney Gilbert in the vault and Tatiana Garcia in the beam.

Kelli Young of Shadle Park earned a state berth on the bars.

In the 3A regional, Kamiakin easily captured the team title, piling up 162.9 points, more than 18 more than its nearest competitor, Columbia Basin 3A League-rival Southridge, which scored 144.025.

Kamiakin gymnasts finished 1-2-3 in the all-around competition, led by Alisha Sherman’s 35.450 effort. But because the Braves qualified as a team, the two all-around entries to next week’s state tournament at the Tacoma Dome went to Southridge’s Laura Batdorf and Hanford’s Ashley Keever.

North Central’s Ali Reid and Christy Grorud qualified for all four individual events. Teammate Nicole Hossfeld qualified in three.

“I didn’t have a very good meet,” Reid said. “I lost some of my momentum (over the two weeks off from competition), and I got sick and missed three days of practice. That set me back, too.”

Mt. Spokane’s Briana Springer qualified for state in the vault and beam, while teammate Lindsey Stephens did so in the bars. Lakeside’s Ali Forsyth and Loreah Winlow qualified in the bars and floor, respectively.