Baskett basks in Level 10 regional

WHITEFISH - Kristina Baskett called them "stupid mistakes."

Her coach, Brad Loan, was a little more diplomatic. He just termed them "silly."

Whatever they were, they proved to be very costly.

Baskett's miscues on beam and during her floor exercise resulted in a third place finish in the all-around for Level 10 Senior C at the USA Region 2 Gymnastics Championships Saturday at Whitefish High School.

The 17-year-old senior standout from Mt. Rainier High School in Des Moines, Wash., won vault, 9.875, and bars, 9.675, but had to settle for a fifth in beam, 9.4, and an 11th in floor, 9.325. That resulted in an all-around total of 38.275.

Jami Lanz of National Academy won beam, 9.7, en route to a 38.575 all-around title. Lanz was consistent all the way through, finishing second in vault, 9.8, and floor, 9.65, and fourth in bars, 9.425.

Brooke Barclay of Funtastics took second in the all-around, 38.300.

"I fell on beam and floor," said Baskett, who competes with Puget Sound Gymnastics (PSG) out of Puyallup, Wash.

"Just stupid mistakes I won't make again."

"She's too good to make mistakes like that," said Loan.

"And she knows it."

Loan told Baskett afterward that this was just a dress rehearsal for her next competition. That will be Level 10 Nationals next month in Ontario, Calif.

The top seven all-around individuals from all regionals advance.

"She's the greatest talent I've coached in 33 years," said Loan of Baskett.

"I've had a Pan Am gold medalist, seven national all-around champions, a World Team member. She's better than all of them. She's one of the finest athletes I've ever known."

Loan said Baskett set a Level 10 all-around state record in Washington to qualify for regional with a 38.850 total. He said if you take her "two falls out," her all-around score this weekend would have been 39.275.

"That would have been the highest all-around in the history of Northwest gymnastics, " he said.

Baskett joined PSG when she was 7 years old.

"She was not developed, came from a recreational program." said Loan.

Baskett learned of Loan and PSG while attending a summer gymnastics camp in Arizona.

"God's given talent, a race horse," said Loan of what separates Baskett from others.

"She works very, very hard, a lovely kid to work with."

This marked Baskett's first year in Level 10. She's been an Elite gymnast the last six years, competing in a couple of USA Championships. Her best finish was an 18th in the all-around.

"I dropped down (from Elite to Level 10) for my senior year," said Baskett.

"My elite (season) would have run into the start of my college season."

Baskett will attend the University of Utah in the fall on a full-ride gymnastic scholarship.

"They're No. 1 in the nation right now," she said.

"Average attendance for home meets is 11,000. Fantastic fan support for gymnastics."

Baskett also looked at UCLA.

Region 2 action concludes today with Level 9 competition at 8 a.m. and noon.

A Level 7 Invitational follows at 4 p.m., which will include Flathead Gymnastics Academy members Amanda Weigand and Andrea Ekegren.

USA Region 2 Gymnastics Championships

Friday's Late Results

Top 5 All-Around

Scores (vault, bars, beam, floor = all-around)

Top Event Scores in Bold

Session 3

Level 8 Junior B

29 Entrants

1. Emylie Chinen, Gymnastics East (9.425, 9.625, 9.65, 9.25 = 37.950). 2. Chelsea Tang, National Academy (9.2, 9.45, 9.675, 9.425 = 37.750). 3. Aliza Vaccher, National Academy (9.3, 9.5, 9.35, 9.425 = 37.575). 4. Allison Davies, National Academy (9.25, 9.35, 9.4, 9.325 = 37.325). 5. Katherine Payne, Auburn Gymnastics (9.175, 9.575, 9.4, 8.95 = 37.100).

Level 8 Senior A

35 Entrants

1. Kayla Pumphrey, Cascade Elite (9.325, 9.425, 9.3, 9.4 = 37.450). 2. Carleigh Dempsey, Grace Gymnastics (9.425, 9.3, 9.175, 9.15 = 37.050). 3. Lindsey Berger, Cascade All Stars (9.425, 9.2, 9.225, 9.175 = 37.025). 4. Haylee Trautman, Sunburst (9.0, 9.4, 9.375, 9.175 = 36.950). 5. Alexis Matthews, Metropolitan (9.05, 9.1, 9.25, 9.45 = 36.850).

Saturday

Level 10 Junior A

Six Entrants

1. Randi Lau, HITS (9.725, 8.75, 9.35, 9.6 = 37.425). 2. Kalliah McCartney, Naydenov Gymnastics (9.4, 9.425, 8.875, 9.35 = 37.050). 3. Taisha Duren, Naydenov Gymnastics (9.225, 9.425, 8.575, 9.5 = 36.725). 4. Kaycee Gassaway, Naydenov Gymnastics (9.375, 9.15, 8.475, 9.325 = 36.325). 5. Mikaela Niles, Mid Columbia (8.7, 9.0, 8.825, 8.125 = 34.650).

Level 10 Junior B

10 Entrants

1. Jessica Magill, Naydenov Gymnastics (9.4, 9.6, 9.025, 9.6 = 37.625). 2. Mawie Talion, HITS (9.375, 9.325, 9.325, 9.45 = 37.475). 3. Ciara Geller, Metro Gymnastics (9.15, 9.15, 9.7, 9.45 = 37.450). 4. Dana Bonincontri, Gymnastics East (9.375, 9.575, 9.375, 9.05 = 37.375). 5. Alyssa Strodel, Emerald City (9.35, 9.0, 9.4, 9.425 = 37.175).

Level 10 Junior C

Nine Entrants

1. Tracie Tamashiro, HITS (9.7, 9.65, 9.5, 9.625 = 38.475). 2. Ruby Engreitz, Northwest Angels (9.3, 9.1, 9.0, 9.575 = 36.975). 3. Cortney Williams, Black Hills (9.025, 8.85, 9.5, 9.325 = 36.700). 4. Blaire Barclay, Funtastics (9.475, 9.275, 8.025, 9.375 = 36.150). 5. Cayla Boyce, Idaho Falls (9.2, 8.725, 8.9, 8.875 = 35.700).

Level 10 Junior D

12 Entrants

1. Jennifer Kesler, Gymnastics East (9.7, 9.75, 9.725, 9.575 = 38.750). 2. Brittany Davidson, Auburn Gymnastics (9.5, 9.4, 9.425, 9.2 = 37.525). 3. Naomi DeLara, Maui Gymnastics (9.325, 9.625, 8.9, 9.5 = 37.350). 4. Becky Colvin, National Academy (9.3, 9.1, 9.25, 9.575 = 37.225). 5. Tay Dunklee, Black Hills (9.375, 9.175, 9.2, 9.4 = 37.150).

Level 10 Senior A

10 Entrants

1. Morgan LaRoque, Black Hills (9.45, 9.4, 9.05, 9.6 = 37.500). 2. Shannon Coughlin, Arctic Gymnastics (9.55, 9.0, 9.125, 9.375 = 37.050). 3. Stacy Bartlett, Metro Gymanstics (9.45, 9.325, 8.225, 9.475 = 36.475). 4. Christina Sundgren, Mid Columbia (9.1, 9.0, 8.675, 9.45 = 36.225). 5. Jamie Hughes, Northwest Angels (9.4, 8.55, 8.725, 9.3 = 35.975).

Level 10 Senior B

14 Entrants

1. Kelli Fournier, Gymnastics East (9.6, 9.225, 9.5 9.35 = 37.675). 2. Michelle Denise, Mid Columbia (9.325, 9.35, 9.375, 9.15 = 37.200). 3. Eryn Stubblefield, National Academy (9.4, 9.025, 9.075, 9.525 = 37.025). 4. Kristi Arnett, Acrovision (9.375, 9.05, 9.425, 9.15 = 37.000). 5. Casey Magee, National Academy (9.575, 9.575, 8.1, 9.65 = 36.900).

Level 10 Senior C

13 Entrants

1. Jami Lanz, National Academy (9.8, 9.425, 9.7, 9.65 = 38.585). 2. Brooke Barclay, Funtastics (9.8, 9.3, 9.7, 9.5 = 38.300). 3. Kristina Baskett, Puget Sound (9.875, 9.675, 9.4, 9.325 = 38.275). 4. Kera Bolen, Metro Gymnastics (9.35, 9.55, 9.525, 9.5 = 37.925). 5. Amy Brandle, Northwest Gymnastics (9.45, 9.125, 9.525, 9.7 = 37.800).

Level 10 Senior D

11 Entrants

1. Latasha Smith, Gym Express (9.5, 9.55, 9.675, 9.8 = 38.525). 2. Lauren Brooks, Auburn Gymanstics (9.775, 9.675, 9.4, 9.625 = 38.475). 3. Cortney Krismer, Black Hills (9.375, 9.425, 9.3, 9.525 = 37.625). 4. Sandra Blake, Mid Columbia (9.4, 9.075, 8.55, 9.45 = 36.475). 5. Brianna Schwartz, Gymnastics Unlimited (9.15, 8.825, 8.4, 9.2 = 35.575).