BREIDABLICK — Vikings gymnasts pulled off a victory by the slightest of margins against Shorecrest and Shorewood last week.
The three teams convened on the gym at Breidablik Elementary School for a tri-meet and North Kitsap ended up on top with 138.05 points, just .05 ahead of Shorewood, which finished with 138.
Junko Ketch placed in the top three in three events and finished third in the all-around. Angelina Golden took fourth. In all, seven different gymnasts placed at the meet.
“We have a pretty strong group,” said North Kitsap coach Kris Goodfellow.
The evening began with the vault and uneven bars. Ketch took second in the vault and third in the bars, while Kelli Stevens placed fourth in both events. Golden finished sixth in the vault and tied for fifth in the bars. Shannon McKibben’s 5 in the bars was good for seventh.
The Vikings then placed four gymnasts in the balance beam — Grace Billings (second), Ginger Silfies (third), Golden (fifth) and Caytie Johnson (seventh) — and three more in the floor competition. Ketch took second with an 8.1 followed by Golden (fourth, 7.7) and Silfies (eighth, 7.0).
When the dust settled, North Kitsap’s margin of victory was narrower than a razor’s edge, but it was good enough for the top spot.
The team will close the year with a home meet against Port Angeles on Jan. 24, and then senior night on Jan. 31 against Kingston.
Goodfellow also hopes to get her team through the postseason, beginning with the sub regionals on Feb. 7 at Auburn Gymnastics in DuPont. She also believes at least a few of her gymnasts will get all the way to the state championship on Feb. 22 at Sammamish High School.
“I would love to take a team spot from the sub districts to the district meet,” Goodfellow said. “If you can make it to the districts, you pretty much make it into state because of the way the districts fall, but we have to get past Bonney Lake and Capital.”
Team scores — 1. North Kitsap, first, 138.05; 2. Shorewood, 138; 3. Shorecrest, 121.5.
Individual placers
All around — 3. Junko Ketch, 29.3; 4. Angelina Golden, 28.3.
Vault — 2. Junko Ketch, 8.1; 4. Kelli Stevens, 7.8; 6. Angelina Golden, 7.4.
Bars — 3. Junko Ketch, 6.1; 4. Kelli Stevens, 5.8; T-5. Angelina Golden, 5.7; 7. Shannon McKibben, 5.0
Beam — 2. Grace Billings, 7.9; 3. Ginger Silfies, 7.8; 5. Angelina Golden, 7.5; 7. Caytie Johnson, 7.2.
Floor — 2. Junko Ketch, 8.1; 4. Angelina Golden, 7.7; 8. Ginger Silfies, 7.0.
— Mark Krulish is a reporter for Kitsap News Group. He can be reached at mkrulish@soundpublishing.com. Follow him on Twitter @MKrulishKDN.
Ginger Silfies scored a 7.0 for her floor routine in the meet with Shorewood and Shorecrest. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
Angelina Golden keeps herself steady on the balance beam. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
Angelina Golden keeps herself steady on the balance beam. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
Kelli Stevens makes the leap for the uneven parallel bars. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
Kelli Stevens makes the leap for the uneven parallel bars. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
Junko Ketch prepares to tumble in the floor exercises. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
Junko Ketch prepares to tumble in the floor exercises. (Mark Krulish/Kitsap News Group)
