GYMNASTICS: Locals continue strong competitive season

The Hollister and Gilroy USA Sports gymnastics teams continued their strong season last week at the Golden Bear Invitational in Berkeley.
The squads finished in third place in both the Level 4 and 5 competitions during the meet.
Level 4 gymnast Josephine Rawlins, of Gilroy, won the all-around competition for USA Sports with first-place finishes in the balance beam (8.50) and floor exercise (8.925). Rawlins placed second on the uneven bar (8.45) and third on the vault (9.15).
At the junior division of level 4, Audrey Hudson, also of Gilroy, placed second with a personal best (36.176). She was the fifth gymnast from USA Sports to break the 36 point barrier, according to a press release from the club.
Senior division competitor Emily Sanchez also had a personal-best, third-place finish on the all-around (34.475) and uneven bars (8.375).
In Level 5’s child division, Marcela Mantilla took second in the all-around (34.125), uneven bars (8.775) and floor exercise (9.0).
Teammates Jaden Regallo placed second on vault (8.85) and Lauren Dean took third on balance beam (8.80) in the junior division for USA Sports.
In the senior division, Louisa Mantilla tied for second on balance beam (8.925) and won a pair of bronze medals in the all-around (34.70) and uneven bars (8.70).
Without a full Level 6 team, USA Sports gymnasts Catharina Ji and Felicia Markfield did well individually. Ji took the gold on vault (8.95), while Markfield placed right behind her teammate.
“The team is really beginning to gel,” said USA Sports head coach Jennifer Yip. “They are competing well as a team, in what is often considered an individual sport, and it showed.”