AURORA | The Overland gymnastics team continued to build toward upcoming postseason competition by winning the Centennial/Continental League championship Wednesday.
The Trailblazers — a co-op team of gymnasts from schools across Aurora and the surrounding area — cruised to victory atop the eight-team field that competed at Overland with a score of 184.625 to easily outpace runner-up Elizabeth (176.650).
Coach Lisa Sparrow’s Overland team had a pair of league champions in senior Christie Yee (Cherokee Trail) and sophomore Sam Demoss (Eaglecrest), who won the floor exercise and balance beam, respectively, while Demoss added a third-place finish in the all-around competition.
Yee is the defending individual Class 5A state champion in the floor exercise and took the league crown in it with a score of 9.750 to finish in front of teammate Delenn Steffes (Overland), who registered a score of 9.675.
Demoss also posted a 9.750 in her event to lead the way among three top-five placers for Overland on the balance beam. The performance contributed to her score of 37.525 in the all-around competition that put her behind only Cherry Creek’s Ana George (38.400) and Elizabeth’s Anastasia Buzalsky (37.700).
Steffes posted top-five finishes in the floor (second), uneven bars (fourth) and beam (fifth) and senior Sara Liberatore (Grandview) placed in the top five in two (tied for fourth in the vault and fifth in the floor exercise).
Overland plays host to one of three regional meets on Oct. 28 beginning at 10 a.m. The other team regionals will be contested at Bear Creek and Mountain Range.
Courtney Oakes is Aurora Sentinel Sports Editor. Reach him at 303-750-7555 or sports@aurorasentinel.com. Twitter: @aurorasports. FB: Aurora Prep Sentinel
Centennial/Continental League Gymnastics Championships
Team scores: 1. OVERLAND 184.625 points; 2. Elizabeth 176.650; 3. Ponderosa 175.900; 4. Cherry Creek 174.500; 5. Heritage 167.575; 6. Palmer Ridge 166.150; 7. Rock Canyon 165.575; 8. Rampart 165.500
All-Around (top five): 1. Ana George (Cherry Creek), 38.400; 2. Anastasia Buzalsky (Elizabeth), 37.700; 3. SAM DEMOSS (OVERLAND), 37.525; 4. Katherine Compton (Ponderosa), 36.300; 5. Maddie Gottlieb, 35.525
Vault (top five): 1. Ana George (Cherry Creek), 9.575; 2. Katherine Compton (Ponderosa), 9.525; 3. Anastasia Buzalsky (Elizabeth), 9.300; T4. SARA LIBERATORE (OVERLAND), 9.250; T4. MACKENZIE FRENCH (OVERLAND), 9.250; Other Overland results: 5. Natalie Wilson, 9.125; T6. Sam Demoss, 9.100; 7. Drew Morrisey, 9.075
Balance beam (top five): 1. SAM DEMOSS (OVERLAND), 9.750; 2. Ana George (Cherry Creek), 9.675; 3. ELENA REIFFIN (OVERLAND), 9.600; 4. Anastasia Buzalsky (Elizabeth), 9.450; 5. DELENN STEFFES (OVERLAND), 9.350; Other Overland results: T7. Christie Yee, 9.225; 8. Bailey Rodriguez, 9.200
Uneven bars (top five): 1. Ana George (Cherry Creek), 9.475 points; 2. Anastasia Buzalsky (Elizabeth), 9.325; 3. SAM DEMOSS (OVERLAND), 9.225; 4. DELENN STEFFES (OVERLAND), 9.100; 5. NATALIE WILSON (OVERLAND), 8.825; Other Overland result: 10. Drew Morrisey, 8.575
Floor exercise (top five): 1. CHRISTIE YEE (OVERLAND), 9.750; T2. DELENN STEFFES (OVERLAND), 9.675; T2. Ana George (Cherry Creek), 9.675; 3. Anastasia Buzalsky (Elizabeth), 9.625; 4. SARA LIBERATORE (OVERLAND), 9.550; 5. SAM DEMOSS (OVERLAND), 9.450; Other Overland result: 8. Elena Reiffin, 9.275