FeedsLady Chiefs place 2nd at Rockford
Canton gymnasts tumbled their way to a second place finish at the Rockford Gymnastics Flip Flop Invitational on Saturday.
The Lady chiefs outscored 15 other teams with a final score of 140.100, coming in second only to Forest Hills’ 142.225. Canton’s second team finished in 11th (125.050).
Alyssa Kelley was Canton’s top performer, placing second in the all around with a 36.825. She was the top vaulter, scoring a tournament all-around high, 9.5. Teammates Kate Staley and Jessie Murray placed fourth and sixth respectively with a 9.1 and an 8.7.
Kelley placed second in the floor routine with a 9.375 and fifth on the beam with a 9.150. She and Murray tied for fourth on the uneven parallel bar competition, scoring 8.8s. Murray was tops on the beam, earning a 9.325. She also finished fifth on the floor with 8.925. Her scores added up to 35.750—good for fourth in the all-around.
Staley finished out the tournament in eighth place (34.025) that also included a sixth-place finish on the bars (8.600), a tenth-place finish on the beam (8.250) and an 8.075 on the floor.
Canton was the only team of the 17 that participated to have three competitors place in top-10 all around.
Mallory Hudak, Andrea Houdek and Kaitlyn Burns all had solid showings in Level 2 competition.
Hudak tied for fourth on the vault with an 8.65 and just missed top-10 on floor with an 8.625. Houdek tied for seventh on the beam with an 8.650 with Burns following in a tie for tenth with an 8.550. Burns also tied for third on the floor with a 9.025.
“It was generally a good meet for us,” said Canton Coach John Cunningham. “Nobody had four exceptional events for us but it was a decent meet.
“I like to go west,” he added. “I like to see what teams are out that way and to see if there is a big difference in the judges’ scoring.”
Canton opened the New Year with a victory against Brighton and Howell last Thursday at Brighton. Canton scored 141.05 for the win. Brighton followed with a 137.25 and Howell scored 133.100.
Kelley earned the first place on vault with a 9.4. Staley scored an 8.85, Murray an 8.7 and Burns an 8.65.
Murray earned an 8.9 on the uneven bars. Kelley scored an 8.55 and Chelsea Seldon, an 8.0. Kelley and Staley were in a three-way tie with Howell’s Monica Cauley for first on the floor with a 9.45. Burns scored a 9.35 and Murray a 9.2.
Kelley finished with the most points (35.8) for Canton and third place in the all around.
Canton hosts Plymouth at 7 p.m. today, heads to Grand Rapids on Saturday and hosts Northville at 7 p.m. on Tuesday. Canton will host a 19-team invitational at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 3.
