“YOUTH GYMNASTICS: Greencastle takes first place in Florida” plus 1 more

YOUTH GYMNASTICS: Greencastle takes first place in Florida

Posted: 19 Feb 2011 09:43 PM PST

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McKenna Kissinger

Greencastle native McKenna Kissinger captured first place All-Around at the Sand Dollar Invitational Gymnastics Meet on Jan. 22 at the ESPN Sports Center at Disney's Wide World of Sports in Orlando, Fla.

Kissinger, a member of 4-Star Gymnastics in Williamsport, Md., defeated more than 26 girls in the 9-10-year-old age division with a score of 36.975 to secure the All-Around title. She also placed first on bars with a 9.425, third on vault with a 9.225, third on beam with a 9.275 and fifth on floor with a 9.05.

Kissinger ranked 123rd out of the 1,972 gymnasts ranging from Level 4 to Level 10 who competed in the meet. A fifth-grader at Greencastle-Antrim Elementary School, Kissinger trains over 12 hours per week in the gym and logs more than eight hours a week dancing at Clarissa's School of Performing Arts in Greencastle.

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ISU gymnastics: McKellar nearly perfect in ISU gymnasts' win against Iowa

Posted: 19 Feb 2011 11:00 PM PST

It wasn't perfect, but it was close.

Iowa State gymnast Jody McKellar scored a 9.95, just shy of a perfect 10, on her uneven bars routine Friday. For more ISU sports, see GoCyclones.

As McKellar prepared for her dismount, her mind wandered a bit.

"I was thinking, 'You know, if I nail this dismount, I think this could be one of my all-time best routines ever," McKellar said.

McKellar's dismount was flawless, and the Hilton Coliseum crowd let out the loudest roar of the night during the No. 23 Cyclones' 196.350-195.850 dual win against No. 20 Iowa.

McKellar's 9.95 tied Erin Dethloff, Sissy Huey and Betsy Hamm for the highest bars score in school history.

"I knew it had to be close to a 10," said ISU gymnast Shea Anderson, who was watching the routine. "It was so pretty."

McKellar got plenty of help from her teammates.

The Cyclones (7-2-1) posted their highest score of the season, topping the 195.375 they scored last week in a dual loss to Oklahoma.

"If this trend continues, we'll be scoring 205 by the end of the season, right?" ISU coach Jay Ronayne said, jokingly.

The maximum a team can score in a meet is 200.

The Cyclones re-corded season-best scores on the bars (49.350), the balance beam (49.100) the and floor exercise (49.200) against the Hawkeyes (5-5).

The Cyclones' Michelle Shealy and Iowa's Rebecca Simbhudas each posted a 9.900 on beam to tie for the event title. The Cyclones' Michelle Browning won floor with a 9.875.

Anderson, the lone Iowan on the Cy-clones' roster, said beating an in-state rival was extra special.

"Oh, it's huge," said Anderson, whose fa-ther, Mitch, is the wrestling coach at Oakland Riverside High in southwest Iowa.

Anderson, who had a 9.850 on floor, a 9.750 on beam and a 9.800 on vault, said she had cousins, aunts and uncles in the crowd Friday.

The Cyclones will compete in a 2 p.m. dual Sunday at No. 15 Minnesota.

McKellar will try to perfect an already near-perfect bars routine.

"How do I get a 10?" McKellar said. "I think if I get my handstands a little bit more straight, I've got it."

Iowa State 196.350, Iowa 195.850 (event winners)

All-around – Rebecca Simbhudas, Iowa, 39.475; vault – Rebecca Simbhudas, Iowa, 9.900; uneven bars – Jody McKellar, ISU, 9.950; balance beam – Michelle Shealy, ISU, and Rebecca Simbhudas, Iowa, 9.90; floor exercise – Michelle Browning, ISU, 9.875.

Ben Gouldsmith can be reached at (515) 663-6931 or bgouldsmith@amestrib.com.

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