It seemed to be right there for the Todd Beamer High School gymnastics team to claim the school’s first-ever team state championship Friday afternoon inside the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Center.

The Titans, who rolled through the South Puget Sound League regular season with an unblemished record, held the lead after the first three rotations in the four-team race for the Class 4A State Gymnastics Championship. But the Newport Knights, out of Bellevue, overtook Beamer on the fourth, and final, rotation to steal away the title.

Newport finished with a total of 174.0 points, compared to the 173.45 for the Titans. It was the first-ever Class 4A title for the Knights, but 11th title overall for Newport. The Knights won seven team championships in the 3A/2A category and three all-classification titles. It was the second year in a row that Beamer has finished in the silver medal position at the state meet.

The Thomas Jefferson Raiders ended up in third place behind Newport and Beamer with 170.875 points. The Raiders entered the meet on a big-time roll after winning the SPSL and West Central District meets in impressive fashion. Jefferson outdistanced Beamer in both. Mead ended up in fourth place Friday with 166.175 points.

Newport also snared the individual all-around championship. Kristine Wong beat a very talented field that included seven of the top-eight finishers during the 2010 all-around competition. The only one missing was last year’s champion, Hailey Wells of Woodinville.

The Titans were once again led by Sam West. The junior finished up in third place in the all-around competition with 36.7 points. The result came a year after she garnered second place during the 2010 all-around.

West scored a 9.175 on the vault, a 9.575 on the floor exercise, an 8.95 on the balance beam and a 9.0 on the uneven parallel bars.

West’s teammate, freshman Kasey Johnson, ended up seventh in the all-around with 36.15 points. Beamer’s Cassie Peterson was 18th (35.0) and Jessica Freeborn finished up in 20th place in the all-around with 34.225 points.

Jefferson’s Madi Kellar entered the state championships as one of the favorites to win the all-around title. The junior finished in first place at both the SPSL and district meets and had the highest preliminary score entering the state meet. But, just like last year, Kellar fell off the balance beam, one of her best events, and finished up in fifth-place overall in the all-around with 36.475 points.

It’s the second year in a row that Kellar has ended up in fifth. She also finished up in fifth place in the 1-meter diving competition at this fall’s Class 4A State Swimming and Diving Championships.

Kellar dominated the uneven bars Friday with the high score of the day (9.45) and was second to Wong on the floor exercise with a 9.725. But the fall on the balance beam dropped her to an 8.65 on the event. She also tallied an 8.65 on the vault.

Jefferson’s twin sisters, Shelby and Monica Church, finished 11th and 14th, respectively, in the all-around competition. Shelby Church tallied 35.65 points and Monica Church finished with 35.175.

Individual Event Finals

Kellar was also impressive during Saturday’s individual event finals at the Tacoma Dome. The Jefferson junior finished up in second place on the uneven parallel bars with a 9.5, which was just .1 behind Union’s Sami Jo Martin, who won with a 9.6.

Kellar also finished third on the floor exercise with a 9.7. Heritage’s Britni Atwell won with a 9.775 and Wong was second at 9.75. West tied for fourth on the floor with a 9.675 and was seventh on the bars with an 8.55.

Shelby Church ended her sophomore season with a silver medal on the balance beam with a 9.375. Emerald Ridge’s Elizabeth Clemens won with a 9.4. Church also finished in a tie for eighth on the floor with a 9.5.

Monica Church tied for fifth on the vault with a 9.375 and Johnson was sixth on the bars with an 8.75.

Decatur Gators

Six Decatur Gators competed in the 2A/3A State Gymnastics Meet Friday at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Center. Anna Paradee led the way for the Gators by scoring 33.900 points in the all-around competition. The point total was good enough to place her 20th in the all-around.

Shawntel Bali ended up in 35th place overall in the all-around with 31.825 points and teammate Allison Sherwin followed right behind in 36th with 31.750 points.

Karissa Kolman finished with 17.025 points in two events, Victoria Braun tallied a 9.150 on the floor exercise and Makayla Quam finished with an 8.2 on the balance beam.