Friday, Apr. 25, 2008

Keller gymnasts finish third

Program's best state meet appearance

By BRYCE NIEMAN

Keller's girls gymnastics team took third place Friday at the Texas High School Gymnastics Championships.

The Indians finished Thursday's compulsory competition at the Garland Special Events Center in fourth place, and still trailed teams from Humble Kingwood, San Angelo Central and L.D. Bell on Friday heading into their final event: beam.

Keller put together a team score on beam of 28.075 to edge past Bell for a two-day score of 227.875. Bell was less than a point behind at 226.925.

Central defended as state champions finishing with a 231.475, while Kingwood finished second at 229 even.

"I'm just very excited," KISD gymnastics coach Jeff Garmon said. "I'm speechless. The team was incredible."

A month ago in the District I championships, Keller struggled on beam and ended up finishing third in the meet behind Bell and Arlington Martin. Friday, the Indians -- who came back to defeat Bell and Martin at regionals -- wrapped up the state meet on beam, only recording one fall.

"To pull off no falls on four out of five, that was huge," Garmon said.

The third-place finish at state was Keller's best in the four-year history of the program, having finished in seventh in 2006 and fifth last year.

Keller's Abbey Doweidt finished in a tie for sixth in the individual all-around with a cumulative score of 76.875. She also advanced to Saturday's event finals in both beam and floor exercise.

Kristi Wagner also will compete Saturday in the floor finals and Chelsee Abbey earned a spot to compete for the state vault championship.

The event finals are scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. Saturday at the Garland Special Events Center.