For high school wrestlers, gymnasts and swimmers, the moment they had been waiting all season for arrived last Saturday.
Local athletes from Tahoma, Kentlake and Kentwood competed in the 4A state tournaments.
Wrestling
The Tahoma Bears finished the 2017-2018 season as the third best in state with a team score of 103.5 following the weekend’s Mat Classic.
The Kentwood Conquerors finished in 36th place with a team score of 10.
Individual Results
Two Tahoma Bears were crowned state champions Saturday — freshman Steele Starren in the 126 weight class and senior Kione Gill in the 220 weight class.
Tahoma junior Austin Michalski came in third in the 120 weight class.
Also coming in third was Tahoma’s Reid Carlton in the 138 weight class.
Finishing fifth out of eight was Tahoma senior Gunner Starren in the 152 weight class.
One Kentwood wrestler placed in the state’s top wrestlers in the 170 weight class — freshman Dominic Kremer snagged the No. 8 spot.
Girls Wrestling
The Kentwood girls wrestling team finished third in state with a team score of 66.
In the 170 weight class, Kentwood senior Sabrina Perez was crowned state champion.
In the 135 weight class, Kentwood sophomore Ivy Kraght finished third. Also placing in the No. 3 spot was Alexandria Sanford in the 140 weight class.
Gymnastics
During the first day of the 4A state gymnastics meet Feb. 16, the Kentlake Falcons team placed No. 6 in state out of the top eight teams.
The girls earned a team score of 164.625 points.
During the all-around portion of the meet Feb. 16 a number of gymnasts from Kentlake, Kentwood and Tahoma earned points.
Kentlake
• No. 16 Cecelia Loudermilk: 35.575
• No. 36 Haley Pond: 33.050
• No. 38 Autumn Bell: 32.775
• No. 39 Cassie Padilla: 32.625
• No. 46 Jenna Carlson: 30.150
• No. 69 Alohi Holmbeck-Barboza: 20.950
• No. 159 Tallie Vincent: 6.850
Kentwood
• No. 60 Maleah Agron: 24.875
• No. 158 Jillian Lane: 6.900
Tahoma
• No. 55 Emma Rochleau: 26.025
• No. 111 Elsie Rochleau: 8.875
• No. 151 Hayley Rayburn: 7.125
On day two, the top gymnasts in the state were determined in the four individual events — bars, beam, floor and vault.
Bars
Kentlake’s Cecelia Loudermilk placed second with a score of 9.600, .025 behind Ali Tate from Auburn High School.
Vault
Placing No. 15 in state, Kentlake’s Cassie Padilla scored 8.500.
Boys Swimming
The Tahoma Bears placed 21st as a team with a score of 22 points.
The Kentwood boys swim team tied with fellow league-member Kentridge with a team score of four points.
Individual Results
Parker Wichelmann earned two points for Tahoma swimming the 200 yard freestyle in 1 minute, 48.74 seconds, placing 15th.
Tahoma’s Nathan Hagen, placed 16th, swam the 200 yard IM in 2:02.61 earning the Bears one point.
Nate Ainsworth finished in 11th place in the 50 yard freestyle in a time of 22.02.
Junior diver Zac Klobutcher scored the Bears nine points finishing in ninth place in the one meter dive with a score of 344.05.
Tahoma’s 200 yard freestyle relay team made up of Nate Ainsworth, Jan Grobbelaar, Mike Shinas and Parker Wichelmann swam the event in 1:31.22, placing 15th.
Senior from Kentwood, Matthew Shull finished in 13th place in the 100 yard breaststroke. Shull earned the Conquerors its only four points, he swam the event in 59.91.
A Kentwood wrestler competes for the take down during the WIAA state tournament. He won this round. Photo by Kayse Angel
(From left to right) Tahoma coach Randi Schorzman, gymnasts Elsie Rochleau, Hayley Rayburn and Emma Rochleau and coach Erica Bonthuis pose for a photo during the weekend’s state meet. Courtesy photo
