Kyle Newman: 303-954-1773 knewman@denverpost.com or @Kylenewmandp Pomona, Elizabeth capture team titles
The Pomona and Elizabeth gymnastics programs showed their championship mettle at the state meet, with each team fending off worthy runner-up finishers to further add to their tumbling dynasties.
Thursday night in Thornton, coach Tracey Boychuk and Pomona bested tradition-laden Overland by 0.025 points to win its third consecutive Class 5A title.
All-around champion Kaylie Berens as well as Kalise Newson (fourth) paced the Panthers in a meet where Pomona trailed the Blazers heading into the final rotation, but a clutch performance on the uneven bars sealed the win.
Friday, Elizabeth prevailed in Class 4A in a backand-forth battle with Niwot, as the Cardinals used a strong performance in their final event, beam, to cement their fourth state title since the program’s inception in 2006.
Anastasia Buzalsky also captured all all-around title for the Cardinals after finishing first in floor and vault to best runner-up Lindsay Chohon of Niwot, while the Green Mountain duo of Ramya Sinha and Emily Graham finished third and fourth, respectively.
The meet concluded with individual event champions being crowned Saturday, when Pomona and Elizabeth collected more accolades. The Panthers’ Brooke Weins won the 5A uneven bars, while Elizabeth’s Buzalsky followed up her allaround title by capturing 4A balance beam, uneven bars and floor in a show of dominance.
The other event titles went to Arvada West’s Shaye Mathais (5A beam), Lakewood’s Amber Boll, (5A vault), Ponderosa’s Katherine Compton (5A floor) and Green Mountain’s Ramya Sinha (4A vault).