TACOMA — Camas is now on the state gymnastics map, and it might be just the beginning given the talent and youth that’s in the Papermakers’ pipeline.
The Papermakers became the first Class 4A from Southwest Washington to win a state gymnastics title, and did so by dethroning one of the state’s premiere teams, four-time reigning state champion Woodinville, 181.200-180.125, at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall. The Falcons were winners of eight state titles since 2007 before Friday.
It was an experience unlike any other for the all members of the team just one year after qualifying for state for the first time as a team, including the bookends of the group: the senior and freshmen. Their lone senior, Jacqueline Purwins goes out a state champion, and the team’s two freshmen — Shea McGee and Alyssa Shibata — begin their careers as ones, too.
“It’s pretty exciting for the whole team to experience this together,” McGee said.
For McGee, she had a meet to remember, too. She and Shibata placed second (37.900) and fifth (37.350), respectively, in the all-around competition; McGee’s 9.600 on bars leapfrogged her from sixth to first place with one flight of competitors remaining.
Kentridge’s Lexi McKnight won the all-around (38.050), using her floor routine to surpass the freshman.
The meet is far from over, though. McGee, Shibata and Purwins highlight the Papermakers advancing to Saturday’s individual event finals in multiple events, led by McGee in all four — floor, bars, vault and beam. McGee’s 9.600 score on the bars was part of a trio of final performances for Camas in the team competition that at first, made Coach Carol Willson a bit nervous in the event because of a slow start in terms of scoring is concerned.
Not to worry, though.
“We all knew we had to bring our best to the plate and make sure we can contribute to the team score,” McGee said.
Purwins’ 9.475, then McGee’s 9.600 and capped by Shibata’s 9.725, a personal-best, to begin a celebration that eventually turned into a state title-winning celebration 20 minutes later.
“I knew they had it,” Willson said. “I knew they’d go in above a 9, but how much above is what we needed in the padding.
“They rocked it.”
Camas is the area’s second team to win a gymnastics state title since Columbia River won the 3A/2A title in 2009.
Union’s Mac Ridgway is an event finalist in two events — floor and beam — after recording top 16 scores in both Friday. The individual event finals begin at 11 a.m. Saturday.
