Gymnastics

Monticello Gymnastics Club team bound for regionals

Entire team qualifies at New York State Boys’ Gymnastics Championships

By RICHARD A. ROSS

ROCHESTER, NY — It’s been a long and grueling season of practice, conditioning and learning routines for the boys of the Monticello Gymnastics Club team, but the dividends paid off between March 18 and 20 at the New York State Boys’ Gymnastics Championships hosted by Penev Gymnastics of Rochester.

Gymnasts from all over New York State competed for top honors and the chance to advance to the upcoming seven state regionals. The full compliment of Monticello’s gymnasts advanced to the Region 7 competition.

Regionals pit the best gymnasts from New York State against those from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. For Monticello’s Level 8 gymnasts Jonathan Ross and Kienan Garn, that regional competition will be held this year at West Point from April 8 to 10. Taylor Thomas and Christian Reynolds, both Level 6 gymnasts, and Jake Lang, who competes at Level 5, will take part in the Region 7 meet to be held in Lehigh Valley, PA from April 23 to 24.

Qualification for the regionals is based on attaining a cut-off all-around score compiled on the following apparatus: high bar, parallel bars, pommel horse, still rings, floor exercise and vault. This year, those qualifying scores were as follows: Level 8: 38.0; Level 6 (eight to nine year olds): 42.0, Level (six to 10 years olds and up): 47.0; Level 5: 45.5.

Jonathan Ross and Kienan Garn each qualified in Level 8 with scores of 44.85 and 45.0, respectively. Ross sustained a major rip on his hand during his high bar routine that hampered him for the remainder of the meet.

It was the first time that Garn edged Ross in their years of competing together. Their combined scores earned them a third place Level 8 team trophy at the state meet. Taylor Thomas qualified in Level 6 with a score of 50.4. Chris Reynolds qualified at Level 6 with a score of 48.4, and Jake Lang qualified at Level 5 with a score of 45.5.

Ross took second place in the state in the high bar at Level 8. Garn took third in high bar in Level 8. Last year at the Region 7 meet held at Parkettes Gymnastics in Allentown, PA, Ross took third place in vault and fifth in high bar in his level. This year USA Gymnastics revised the levels for boys’ gymnastics. Level 10 is now the most advanced classification.

Pedro Tweed, who is now in his 28th year at the club’s helm, coaches the Monticello Gymnastics Club.