Thornton – Don’t mistake Tera Sisson’s soft-spoken nature as a lack of confidence.
The Pueblo Central freshman had little to say after the Class 4A state gymnastics championships. But her performance needed no narration.
The diminutive Wildcats star took home the all-around state title in her first attempt.
“I was nervous, but I just did the best that I could,” Sisson said after the tournament at Thornton High School. “I knew that I had a lot of the skills that I needed. I knew that if I did the best that I could do, I could win this.”
Sisson, the top-ranked gymnast in 4A much of the season, was brilliant throughout the state meet, qualifying for individual performances in all four events. But her excellence wasn’t enough to stop the freight train that is the Sterling gymnastics program.
The Tigers extended their dynasty, dominating the six-team field en route to a fourth consecutive team title and eighth in the past 11 years.
Sterling opened Saturday with impressive performances in the floor and vault events, but Evergreen, Pueblo Central and Cañon City found themselves within striking distance by the tournament’s midpoint.
Sterling quickly slammed the door shut on the balance beam to begin the closing two rotations. Five Tigers qualified for individual competition on the beam – including Kylee Dillon, who had the highest score in the event in the all-around tournament – as Sterling scored 46.425, sealing another title.
“Beam was marvelous. We had a couple of miscues – we had one fall, and we had a girl who had a couple bobbles – but we scored over 46, and that’s the difference factor,” Sterling coach Rick Kaiser said. “In any gym meet, beam is either going to really help you or really hurt you.”
Pueblo Central placed second in the team race. Evergreen, which managed to place Marnie Flesche and Bethel Lindsley among the top four and two more in the top 10 in individual all-around scoring, finished third.
With all the competition gunning for the Tigers, Dillon said she and her teammates used their high profile as motivation to stay focused.
“We weren’t really extremely (motivated) for it, you know, but we got in here and a couple of things made us motivated,” said Dillon, one of five Sterling seniors to take home their fourth team championship. “There were teams cheering for other teams … nobody wants us to win. But we did it. We came out on top, and it’s awesome.”
The Tigers will lose much of their latest championship team to graduation, although Jamie Scheck, who placed third among individuals, will return as a senior next year.
Another freshman dominated 5A. Loveland’s Hannah Bower, who won the all-around Friday, won three of the four individual apparatus events Saturday. Bower won the vault (9.85), floor (9.7) and balance beam (9.675).
Only Cynthia Omega of Overland kept Bower from a clean sweep. She won the uneven bars with 9.7 to Bower’s 9.675.
In the 4A individual apparatus, it was a totally different story – each event was won by a different gymnast.
Alegra Giltner of Pueblo Central won the uneven bars (9.325); Dillon won the floor (9.4); Flesche took the vault (9.35) and Sterling’s Lindsey Meier won the balance beam (9.5).
SATURDAY
CLASS 4A
Team scores – Sterling 179.625, Pueblo Central 175.7, Evergreen 175.625, Summit 170.35, Cañon City 169.2, Buena Vista 161.15.
All-around – Tera Sisson, Pueblo Central, 36.560; Marnie Flesche, Evergreen, 36.425; Jamie Scheck, Sterling, 36.025; Bethel Lindsley, Evergreen, 35.550; Jessical Caudill, Cañon City, 35.525; Karen McKenna, Evergreen, 35.350; Anna Mason, Fort Morgan, 35.300; Allegra Giltner, Pueblo Central, 35.300; Sarah Ary, Cañon City, 35.275, Allison Robenette, Evergreen, 34.775.
INDIVIDUAL APPARATUS
CLASS 5A
Floor exercise – Hannah Bower, Loveland, 9.700; Melissa McGoffin, Rocky Mountain, 9.675; Dayna Lewis, Rocky Mountain, 9.600; Tiffany Stoddard, Loveland, 9.575; Kelly Stone, Green Mountain, 9.550; Gentry Knaub, Thompson Valley, 9.525.
Balance beam – Hannah Bower, Loveland, 9.675; Hannah Kyle, Rocky Mountain, 9.550; Jenn Shaw, Rocky Mountain, 9.550; Cynthia Omega, Overland, 9.525; Melissa McGoffin, Rocky Mountain, 9.500; Ashley Roush, Arvada West, 9.475.
Uneven bars – Cynthia Omega, Overland, 9.700; Hannah Bower, Loveland, 9.675; Melissa McGoffin, Rocky Mountain, 9.625; Kelly Stone, Green Mountain, 9.550; Erin Glover, Arvada West, 9.450; Sarina Netzel, Thompson Valley, 9.450.
Vault – Hannah Bower, Loveland, 9.850; Melissa McGoffin, Rocky Mountain, 9.800; Jennifer Bartlett, Fort Collins, 9.725; Megan Clemens, Broomfield, 9.475; Kelly Stone, Green Mountain, 9.400; Katilyn Olson, Bear Creek, 9.400.
CLASS 4A
Floor exercise – Kylee Dillon, Sterling, 9.4; Tera Sisson, Pueblo Central, 9.325; Lauren Biegler, Summit, 9.3; Bethel Lindsley, Evergreen, 9.225; Anna Mason, Fort Morgan, 9.2; Holli Brandt, Sterling, 9.025.
Balance beam – Lindsey Meier, Sterling, 9.5; Kylee Dillon, Sterling, 9.45; Jessica Caudill, Cañon City, 9.425; Karen McKenna, Evergreen, 9.4; Marnie Flesche, Evergreen, 9.4; Holli Brandt, Sterling, 9.35.
Uneven bars – Alegra Giltner, Pueblo Central, 9.325; Marnie Flesche, Evergreen, 9.3; Tera Sisson, Pueblo Central, 9.15; Bethel Lindsley, Evergreen, 8.7; Lauren Biegler, Summit, 8.65; Lindsay Benson, Sterling, 9.625.
Vault – Marnie Flesche, Evergreen, 9.350; Erin Krause, Sterling, 9.225; Tera Sisson, Pueblo Central, 9.2; Kylee Dillon, Sterling, 9.15; Heather Anderson, Liberty, 9.125; Anna Jones, Buena Vista, 9.1.
FRIDAY
CLASS 5A
Team scores – Rocky Mountain 186.75; Green Mountain 184.75; Bear Creek 182.926; Overland 181.85; Arvada West 180.2; Loveland 179.525; Fort Collins 179.5; Broomfield 178.55; Eaglecrest 177.725; Niwot 176.25; Ponderosa 175.375; Heritage 170.475.
All-around – 1. Hannah Bower, Loveland, 38.75. 2. Melissa McGoffin, Rocky Mountain, 38.375. 3. Alie Bowen, Green Mountain, 37.9. 4. Kelly Stone, Green Mountain, 37.825. 5. Cynthia Omega, Overland, 37.625. 6. Dayna Lewis, Rocky Mountain, 37.45.
