Four former state champions, including one going for a record-setting fourth consecutive title, are among those competing in Saturday’s 37th Annual IHSAA Gymnastics State Finals at Perry Meridian High School in Indianapolis.

The opening ceremonies begin at 12:30 pm ET / 11:30 am CT with competition in four events beginning 30 minutes later.

A total of 31 schools are represented in the meet with eight – Chesterton, Columbus North, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne Snider, Hagerstown, Lawrence Central, Roncalli, Valparaiso – in the running for the team title. All but Fort Wayne Snider, Hagerstown and Roncalli are repeat entries from 2008.

Center Grove’s Katelyn Fernandes has a chance to do something no other individual has ever achieved in tournament history and that’s win four consecutive state championships in the same event. The 2007 All-Around state champion has won the state title in the vault each of the last three seasons sharing the honor last year with Valparaiso’s graduated Abbey Sutton. Fernandes tied for first at this year’s sectional meet but tied for third at last Friday’s regional competition both at Columbus East.

Lawrence Central junior Camille Hayes also returns to defend last year’s state championship in the bars. She won the event at both the Warren Central sectional and last week’s Harrison (WL) regional and hope to help the Bears improve on last year’s seventh place finish.

Fort Wayne Concordia’s Brannon Springer is expected to contend for the bars championship as well. The 2007 state title winner did not compete in last year’s state meet having suffered an ACL injury early in the year. She finished fourth in the event at this year’s sectional but won the regional crown last Friday.

Also returning is Kellie Kidd of Valparaiso, the 2008 All-Around state champion who also took home the top prize in the balance beam last season. Kidd won All-Around honors at both sectional and regionals winning the bars, floor and vault the first weekend and the beam and vault last weekend.

Kidd also will attempt to lead top-ranked Valparaiso to its second consecutive team title this weekend which would also be a state record seventh overall. The Vikings accumulated a record number of points in last year’s state meet becoming the first team in state finals history to surpass the 114-point mark and this year’s squad has exceeded that mark at both levels of the state tournament.

The 37th Annual Gymnastics State Finals

Date: Saturday, March 21, 2009.

Time: Opening ceremonies at 12:30 p.m. ET; Competition at 1 pm ET.

Admission: $8.

Site: Perry Meridian High School, 401 W. Meridian School Road, Indianapolis | Website

 

 

Facts & Figures

Teams Represented (31)

Carroll (Fort Wayne), Center Grove, Chesterton, Columbus East, Columbus North, Crown Point, DeKalb, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne Concordia, Fort Wayne Northrop, Fort Wayne Snider, Franklin Central, Fremont, Hagerstown, Harrison (West Lafayette), Huntington North, Jay County, LaPorte, Lawrence Central, Logansport, Marion, McCutcheon, Merrillville, Morristown, New Castle, Oak Hill, Portage, Roncalli, South Dearborn, Valparaiso, Western.

Competing for Team Championship (8)

Chesterton, Columbus North, Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger, Fort Wayne Snider, Hagerstown, Lawrence Central, Roncalli, Valparaiso.

Former State Champions in the Meet

> Katelyn Fernandes, 12, Center Grove (2007 All-Around champion; 2006, 2007, 2008 Vault champion).

> Camille Hayes, 11, Lawrence Central (2008 Bars champion).

> Kellie Kidd, 12, Valparaiso (2008 All-Around champion; 2008 Beam champion)

> Brannon Springer, 11, Fort Wayne Concordia (2007 Bars champion).

 

Meet Program