GymCats finish fourth at state championships
From Staff Reportssports@newnan.com
Tift County’s time was now. But for Newnan’s trio of freshmen and junior Alyssa Burnham, the future still looks as bright as ever to come home with a GHSA state gymnastics title.
Tift’s GymDevils repeated as state champions on Friday night at The Westminster School, led by senior Beth Roberts. Newnan placed fourth with 108.6 points, just six-tenths of a point under last weekend’s second-place state qualifying score on what became a tough night among judges.
Roberts placed first on beam and floor to pace Tift County’s lineup to its second straight championship. Newnan freshmen Sydney Goad and Katie Shellnutt also came home with medals in their first trip to the GHSA state finals.
“It was tough. It’s a new venue for them and a new setup,” Davis said. “They got a lot of experience from this.”
Shellnutt placed fourth on floor and Goad was fifth on bars. The duo joined fellow freshman Elizabeth Hovey and junior Alyssa Burnham in competition with all four gymnasts expected to return next season.
