State gymnastics: Beamer foursome finish solid season in the Tacoma Dome

The Class 4A State Gymnastics Meet inside the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall included the best of the best. And four gymnasts from Todd Beamer High School proved to be among the elite during Friday and Saturday’s competition.

Cassie Peterson, Katie Peterson, Leah Freeborn and Jessica Freeborn all competed in individual events during the state championships.

Cassie Peterson ended up in a tie for 15th place on the uneven parallel bars Friday with a score of 8.425 and 30th on the balance beam with an 8.425.

Katie Peterson was 31st on the floor exercise with an 8.5 and 22nd on the beam with an 8.75. Leah Freeborn was 17th on the balance beam with an 8.875 and Jessica Freeborn was 44th on the floor with an 8.425 an 16th on the balance beam with an impressive 8.9.

In the team standings, Woodinville won its third consecutive 4A title with 182.975 points, and South Puget Sound League member Kentlake finished second with 173.025. Puyallup was third with 169.5 points.

Friday and Saturday’s state meet was the second in a row for Cassie and Katie Peterson, as well as Jessica Freeborn. The threesome competed in the 2008 Class 4A meet a season ago, when the Titans finished third in the team competition in the school’s first-ever appearance.

The star of the 2009 4A meet was Kentlake’s Kayla Shira. The Kentlake High School senior captured all-around gymnastics title at the Tacoma Dome with a very impressive 38.050 points Friday afternoon.

If that wasn’t enough, Shira returned on Saturday for the individual events, grabbing first place outright in two events — the bars and floor exercise — and tying for first with Woodinville’s Hailey Wells on the beam.