TYLER — Texas Woman’s University’s gymnastics team, led by East Texan Steelie King’s season-high score on the bars, captured the Battle of the Rose on Saturday night at The Oil Palace in Tyler.
TWU won over Centenary College of Louisiana in the first collegiate meet in Tyler.
The college meet was part of the 17th Annual Rose City Classic featured the two teams. There were 146 teams entered in the levels portion of the meet with 765 gymnasts.
The Pioneers scored a season high 195.650 points. Their previous high was 195.375 on Feb. 26 against West Virginia.
The Ladies earned a 191.175, their second-highest score of the season.
The Pioneers began the meet with by scoring a new season-high on uneven bars of 48.9000. Freshman Brooke Ferrari led the way for the Pioneers in the opening rotation with a 9.825 to tie for first overall in the event. Not far behind, Maddie Griffith continued her high performances on bars, placing third overall with a 9.800. Competing on bars for just the second time this season, Steelie King scored a season-high 9.775. Alix Pierce continued the high-flying scores for TWU, sticking with a 9.750. In her freshman campaign, Kami Zarlengo performed strong again to match Pierce’s 9.750, and Mara Johnson excelled, scoring a season-high 9.725.
Next, the Pioneers rotated to vault and maintained the high-level of energy. All six competitors on vault scored a 9.7 or higher to lead the Pioneers to a total score of 48.850. Daisy Woodring, Madeline Gose and Griffith all topped the TWU leaderboard on vault with 9.800s, tying for the event title. The 9.800 marked a season-best for Gose. Johnson and King both tied for the second highest score on the apparatus, soaring to a pair of 9.725s. In the leadoff spot for TWU, Emily Six rounded out the Pioneer scores on vault with a 9.700.
In their final rotation on balance beam, the Pioneers closed the meet on a high note, scoring a 48.975 on beam—their highest event score of the day.
King, who trained at Texas East Gymnastics and attended Cumberland Academy, earned the title of beam queen, winning the event title with a 9.825. She is the daughter of Longview High School head football coach and athletic director John King.
The Pioneers will host their final meet in Kitty Magee Arena on Sunday at 1 p.m. in Denton. TWU will honor their seven seniors in the quad meet against Florida, Washington and NC State.
The Ladies will host Lindenwood University on Saturday on Senior Night in a dual MIC meet set for 5 p.m. in Shreveport, Louisiana.
TEAM SCORES
Capital Gymnastics Round Rock, competing in the XS Level, had the high score of (117.275).
Rounding out the top 10 included: 2, Acrotex-Georgetown (XS, 115.625); 3, Capital Gymnastics Round Rock (XG, 115.525); 4, Capital Gymnastics Round Rock (XP, 114.775); 5, WOGA Gymnastics (Level 10, 114.600); 6, Golden Grip Gymnastics (XS, 114.550); 7, Texas East Gymnastics (Level 7, 114.350); 8, WOGA Gymnastics (Level 8, 114.225); 9, US Gold (Level 7, 114.125) and 10, Texas Dreams Gymnastics (Level 10, 114.100).
Members of the TEG team that finished seventh were Ellie Beale, Jenna Blake, Shayne LaCombe and Emma Valle.
The Texas East Gymnastics XB team placed 16th with 113.275. Team members include: Avery Mallett, Ellison Schaal, Eva Schaal, Henley Sturrock and Addi Turner.
At No. 22 was the TEG (XS) of Farrah Butler, Blanca Gonzalez and Mae Mae Ewing with a score of 112.950.
TEG Level 6 scored 111.450 with team members Emmeline Dale, Phoenix Flores, Allison Hubbard and Chylar Wilson.
East Texas Twisters (XP) scored 107.425 with team members Haleigh Hackett, Kaelyn Morgan and Avery Rosamond.
TEG’s Level 9 team had 106.225 points with members Brylie Chamness, Heaven Cravens and Heidi Hough.
The Piney Woods Gymnastics Training Center scored 104.825 points in Level XG. Team members are Olivia Bolton, Hayden Cooper, Chandler Crawford, Laken Loyd, Kynlea Ring and Rose Wilson.
TEG’s Level XG scored 72.550 points with Emily Anderson and Kailey Greenhouse.
In Level XS, Piney Woods Gymnastics scored 34.100 with Shiloh Wennerstrom.