Tjensvold earns state medal on bars

TACOMA — Kylee Tjensvold was thrilled with her routine on the uneven bars.

The score, she said, did not matter.

Of course, when the score posted, it was high enough to earn Tjensvold, a junior from Ridgefield, a seventh-place medal at the Class 3A/2A state gymnastics championships.

Tjensvold was the only gymnast from Clark County to medal Saturday in the 3A/2A meet and the 4A meet as the sport crowned its champions in individual events at the Tacoma Dome’s Exhibition Hall.

“This means improvement and dedication to my sport,” Tjensvold said.

She acknowledged to being a little nervous before finals, but “after I finished, I was really happy.”

Tjensvold was the sixth of 16 gymnasts to compete in the bars. She was in first place after her routine. Six of the next 10 outscored her. Not that she was focused on them.

“I wasn’t really paying attention,” Tjensvold said. “I was mostly just having fun, supporting everyone else.”

Tjensvold thanked her eight teammates from Ridgefield for their support and friends from other teams throughout Southwest Washington’s gymnastics community.

“I’m looking forward to next season,” said Tjensvold, who qualified for finals in two events. She finished 16th on the floor exercise.

Columbia River sophomore Sarah Ellis just missed placing on the balance beam. Her score of 9.0 put her in ninth position. The top eight 3A/2A gymnasts placed. She also was 15th on the uneven bars.

Megan Beatty of Hudson’s Bay finished in a tie for 12th on the beam and 13th on the floor exercise.

Columbia River’s Kenzie Moxley took 14th on the floor.

In the 4A meet, Alara Jones of Mountain View was the top local finisher, taking sixth on the floor exercise. (With roughly half the gymnasts of the 3A/2A meet, only the top four earn medals at the 4A meet.) A junior, this was Jones’ first season as a high school gymnast.

“I definitely enjoyed it,” she said. “It was really fun getting back into it, to see what skills I kept from club gymnastics.”

Kylie Weaver, a senior from Union, finished eighth on the balance beam.

“For me, this is a big deal,” Weaver said of just making it to finals in her final year of high school. “This was my year. Everything I did this year, I worked hard for.”

CLASS 4A STATE MEET

At Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall

Individual event finals

Top 4 placers and local finishers

Vault — 1, Makayala Waggoner, Olympia, 9.85; 2, Alli McManus, Woodinville, 9.775; 3, Marissa Savage, Woodinville, 9.7; 4, Zella Conley, Mead, 9.625.

Bars — 1, Marissa Savage, Woodinville, 9.75; 2, Anna Olsen, Skyline, 9.35; 3, Ellie Mann, Woodinville, 9.325; 4, Paige Hirata, Woodinville, 9.15.

Beam — 1, Kylie Mosset, Woodinville, 9.7; 2, Alli McManus, Woodinville, 9.675; 3, Marissa Savage, Woodinville, 9.625; 4, Paige Hirata, Woodinville, 9.4. Also: 8, Kylie Weaver, Union, 8.4.

Floor — 1, Alli McManus, Woodinville, 9.775; 2, Kylie Mosset, Woodinville, 9.55; 3, Marissa Savage, Woodinville, 9.5; 4, Naleia Gomes, Mount Rainier, 9.475. Also: T6, Alara Jones, Mountain View, 9.25.

CLASS 3A/2A STATE MEET

At Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall

Individual event finals

Top 8 placers and local finishers

Vault — T1, Saige Polinak, Kamiakin, and Elena Fowler, Holy Names, 9.575; 3, Kaysa Lundberg, Holy Names, 9.55; T4, Ali Tate, Auburn, and Reigan Kampmann, Mount Spokane, 9.5; T6, Victoria Hernandez, Enumclaw, and Claire Schwartz, Roosevelt, 9.475; 8, Emi Bacha, Sumner, 9.45.

Bars — 1, Kayla Porter, Auburn-Mountainview, 9.375; 2, Elena Fowler, Holy Names, 9.325; 3, Saige Polanik, Kamiakin, 9.2; 4, Jordyn Correll, Sehome, 9.175; T5, Luba Migdal, Auburn-Riverside, and Ali Tate, Auburn, 9.15; 7, Kylee Tjensvold, Ridgefield, 9.125; 8, Remi Rosencrans, Bainbridge, 9.1. Also, 15, Sarah Ellis, Columbia River, 8.05

Beam — 1, Kayla Porter, Auburn-Mountainview, 9.525; 2, Abby Winstead, Kamiakin, 9.5; 3, Ali Tate, Auburn, 9.475; 4, Kaysa Lundberg, Holy Names, 9.35; T5, Saige Polanik, Kamiakin, and Piper Polanik, Kamiakin, 9.25; 7, Brooke Fraser, Mount Spokane, 9.225; 8, Mikka Yamane, Kingston, 9.1; Also: 9, Sarah Ellis, Columbia River, 9.0; and T12, Megan Beatty, Hudson’s Bay.

Floor — 1, Jade Anderson, Mount Spokane, 9.625; 2, Hailey Taylor, Bonney Lake, 9.6; T3, Victoria Hernandez, Enumclaw, and Clara Yardley, Ballard, 9.525; T5, Saige Polanik, Kamiakin, Ali Tate, Auburn, and Kayla Porter, Auburn-Mountainview 9.5; 8, Abby Winstead, Kamiakin, 9.475; Also: 13, Megan Beatty, Hudson’s Bay, 9.275; 14, Kenzie Moxley, Columbia River, 9.25; and 16, Kylee Tjensvold, Ridgefield, 8.8.