By Gerardo Bolong

Contributing Writer

Lianne Kistler of Ballard won the all-around title to lead the Beavers past West Seattle and Chief Sealth in 3A Metro gymnastics at West Seattle High School on Fri., Dec. 8.

Ballard scored 160.35 points to outdistance West Seattle (136.3) and Sealth (93.4).

Kistler danced and jumped to win the floor exercise with 9.25 points, took second (7.7) on the uneven parallel bars, third (8.0) on the balance beam and fifth (8.2) on the vault to accumulate her 33.15 AA total.

Teammate Ava Alvord posted 32.5 points for second in the all-around. Alvord earned first place on the balance (8.5) plus a third place ribbon on the vault (8.3) as her best individual event performances.

Ballard gymnast Celyn Stermer worked her way to 7.8 first place on bars and a 9.1 second place on the floor to highlight her third place all-around total of 32.45. Frances Magnuson scored a 30.8 fifth place AA on the strength of her 8.4 first place tie on the vault and fouth place bars (7.1)

Ballard is expected to be a district contender in the 3A Metro League.

"Even though we scored better (166.00) last week, we've made tons of progress," said Beaver head coach Stephanie Grundel about early season achievements. "Tonight, we were good on the beam. We've got lots of room to improve. There's some new tumbling to add. Holy Names will be the top. We'll be competitive in Metro and district."

West Seattle has some good hopes, as well.

"They are moving along very quickly and are above the level of where we expected to be," said Wildcat head coach Chris Troupe who added the West Seattle job to his three-year stint as Chief Sealth coach in order to preserve the Wildcat program. 

The teams share the WS gym because the gym equipment is stationed there.

"The girls are working hard," Troupe continued. "There is great effort and we have a lot of highly competitive girls."

Josie tied for first in the vault at 8.4 for the best individual finish by West Seattle.

Last season's seventh place state finisher in the 3A all-around, Summer Kramer tallied 32.2 in a fourth place AA performance. Kramer notched an 8.4 second place on beam, an 8.5 fourth on floor and  an 8.3 tie for third on vault as her highlights.

She is confident in her aspirations to improve that standing.

"Knowing how I achieved last year gives me a better mind set to make it better," the Wildcat junior said. "On the vault my tsuk is better."

Named after Japanese gymnast Mitsou Tsukahara in 1972, the basic maneuver involves pushing off the springboard and performing a quarter turn on the horse, then pushing off with hands with hands before adding whatever flips, twists and landings the athlete may incorporate as well a variations of landings.

For Sealth, Troupe analyzed the Seahawks' progress.

"They're coming in about where we wanted," he said. "We have some good veterans and the new girls will have competeable routines by the next meet. The beginners are catching up."

Samara Joseph looks to improve herself.

"This meet was better than the last," said Joseph. "I had good tumbling and I'm working to make my vault cleaner."

Gymnastic meets will return in Jan., 2018.