TACOMA — Gymnastics is the only sport MacKenzie “Mac” Ridgway participates in at Union High School, and turning out this season for her high school team already is a highlight of her high school career.
A club gymnast for years, she decided a break from the club scene was necessary and joined the Titans.
Best decision ever, she said, because what she gained this winter goes far beyond what she achieved Saturday at the Class 4A event finals to conclude the state gymnastics meet.
“I wanted to experience this and see what it’s like to be a high school athlete,” Ridgway said. “I’m so glad I did it. It’s such a more relaxing environment and I can focus on school and do what I love. And my teammates are so sweet.”
If Ridgway only does one year of high school gymnastics — she said she isn’t sure if she’ll return in 2019 — her junior year certainly was memorable. Her runner-up placing on floor with a personal-best 9.600 was Clark County’s highest finish at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.
The junior tabs floor as her favorite event, yet beam might be considered her strongest. That’s the event she won the 4A district title in last week (9.75) and her 9.425 score from Friday was the third-highest of the day.
Those scores are wiped clean for Saturday’s event final, but a fall off her front handspring — uncharacteristic of Ridgway, she said — led to an 8.850 score, and one spot off a top-8 medal placing.
That, in part, fueled her fire for her floor routine. Her 9.600 score tied her for second with Woodinville’s Kylie Mosset.
“I was so excited when I saw that score,” Ridgway said.
While it was Ridgway’s first state experience, it was Jax Purwins’ final gymnastics competition, and the Camas senior made it memorable.
One day after helping the Papermakers win the team title Friday — “that was definitely the highlight,” she said — Purwins medaled in all three event finals she qualified for: floor, bars and vault.
“One more than last year,” Purwins said.
All season, Purwins said it’s been about fun. She no longer is a club gymnast, and also took up diving for the first time, a sport she hopes to do in college.
Saturday, though, once the team competition was complete, Purwins had that no-pressure feeling.
“This was probably the meet I could let it go,” she said. “Just perform and it didn’t matter what the scores were.”
The scores still were impressive. Purwins’ highest placing came on bars (third, 9.550), her second event, and followed it up with a 9.575 on floor (seventh). She placed eighth on vault (9.500).
Camas’ two freshmen — Alyssa Shibata and Shea McGee — combined for four medals. McGee earned three medals in her four event finals: vault (fourth), floor (fourth) and beam (sixth), and Shibata medaled on bars (fifth).
