For years, the epicenter of Colorado gymnastics was in Larimer County. Loveland (two), Fort Collins (one) and Rocky Mountain (four) had accounted for every state title since 1999. That changed last season when Jefferson County went 1-2-3 at the state meet, led by Green Mountain. Sandy Patterson coached the Rams to their first title since 1992 and with Alie Bowen and Kelly Stone back in the fold, this should be the team to beat. “I would like to believe so,” Patterson said. “We should still be strong.” Individually, Loveland’s Hannah Bower has won back-to-back all-around titles and should be the favorite. Every apparatus winner from last season – Bower (floor), Fort Collins’ Michelle Tharp (balance beam), Pine Creek’s Kristin Milardo (uneven bars) and Stone (vault) – will defend titles. In Class 4A, Mountain Range’s Anna Simmons was head and shoulders above the competition last season. Now the Mustangs sophomore, who won everything but the floor last season, is trying to move her team up the standings. “Her goal is obviously to repeat,” Mountain Range coach Jo-Di Tapia said. “But she really has it in her heart to help the team.” Defending champion Pueblo Central, with junior Tera Sisson, is the team to beat.
Top teams
Class 5A
1. Green Mountain; 2. Bear Creek; 3. Loveland; 4. Fort Collins; 5. Broomfield.
Class 4A
1. Pueblo Central; 2. Sterling; 3. Mountain Range; 4. Evergreen; 5. Summit.
Top individuals
(Both classes)
Shawnie Abbott, Mountain Range, Fr.; Alie Bowen, Green Mountain, Jr.; Hannah Bower, Loveland, Jr.; Megan Clemens, Broomfield, Sr.; Kelsey Downs, Pueblo Central, So.; Erin Glover, Arvada West, Jr.; Gentry Knaub, Thompson Valley, Sr.; Erin Krause, Sterling, Jr.; Aditi Kulkarni, Bear Creek, Sr.; Kristen Milardo, Pine Creek, Sr.; Mallory Poplaski, Bear Creek, Sr.; Allison Robinette, Evergreen, Jr.; Anna Simmons, Mountain Range, So.; Tera Sisson, Pueblo Central, Jr.; Kelly Stone, Green Mountain, Jr.; Michelle Tharp, Fort Collins, So.
