It’s another season and another large contingent of Valley Central gymnasts are heading to the New York State championships.

After winning their third straight Section 9 championship, the Vikings will send six gymnasts to the New York State Federation championship meet on Saturday at Clarence High School.

“It’s a really good experience for all of us because of team bonding,” said Valley Central’s Reilly Benson, who won her second straight all-around championship on Feb. 12. “It’s really good for all of us to experience it.”

Benson and Valley Central teammate Eleanor O’Neill will compete in all four events, after finishing first and third in the all-around. Leah Rieber will compete in the vault and on the floor. Ella Freeman will compete on the uneven bars, while Bailey Badendyck and Kaylee Benson will compete on the floor.

Reilly Benson, Badendyck, Rieber and O’Neill will return to the state meet, while Freeman is going for the first time. Kaylee Benson will return to the state meet after missing out last season.

Reilly Benson finished 17th in the all-around with 35.050 points, taking 15th on the vault, 14th on the bars, 28th on the balance beam and 19th on the floor. Badendyck 35th in the floor exercises last year. Rieber was 31st on the uneven bars, and 41st on the vault.

O’Neill – going as an all-around competitor for the first time this year – was 22nd on the floor at last year’s state meet.

Marlee McCullough will once again be the only representative for the Wallkill Panthers this season, competing on the vault, the balance beam and the floor exercise. She missed out on the all-around when she didn’t make the state cut on the uneven bars.
Last year, she finished 29th on the vault, 21st on the balance beam and took 17th on the floor. She finished 24th on the uneven bars last year.

The meet will be competed in five rotations. Section 9 will have the first rotation free and will start competition in Rotation 2 on the uneven bars, before going to the balance beam, the floor exercises and then the vault.

“I’m just hoping to hit our best routines and do good like we’ve been doing all season,” Reilly Benson said.

New York State Federation Gymnastics Championships
Where: Clarence High School

Schedule
9 a.m. – Gym Opens.