BUTLERTWP — It's no small wonder that Natalie Beilstein and Jessica Suder admire each other.

Each has something the other wants.

Beilstein, 15, a freshman at Knoch High School, finished fifth overall in her age group at the Level 10 regional gymnastics meet recently in Allentown and qualified for this weekend's Junior Olympic National Championships in Oklahoma City.

"She's so dedicated, so focused in everything she does," said Suder, 18, a senior at Seneca Valley High School and a teammate of Beilstein's at the Butler Gymnastics Club. "I look up to her. Natalie's skills are outstanding."

Suder will join Beilstein at nationals as a first alternate. She placed eighth in her age group at the regional meet.

While Suder admires Beilstein's skills, she has something Beilstein desires: a college scholarship.

Suder accepted a full scholarship earlier this school year to compete in gymnastics at Central Michigan University.

"It's my goal to get one of those,"Beilstein said. "I'm so proud of Jessica. She's my inspiration. I watched her do what it takes to get one and I'm trying to do the same thing."

Beilstein and Suder are best of friends in the gym and out, and both had to overcome bitter disappointment from last year to reach nationals this year.

Beilstein became the first Butler Gymnastics Club female to reach Level 9 nationals two years ago and seemed a certain bet to qualify for Level 10 nationals in 2005. That never happened because she broke her ankle during warm-ups for the floor competition at regionals.

"It was right before the competition,"coach Steve Heasley said. "Natalie's best events are the floor and vault, and those were the two events she had left.

"No doubt, she would have gone (to nationals). She never got the chance."

Beilstein said she was too excited while practicing her tumbling.

"I was doing my front tuck and overextended," she said. "I rolled the ankle. I heard the bones break."

The injury cost Beilstein a summer of practice time. When the current competitive season began in November, she performed despite the ankle being heavily taped.

"It didn't feel 100 percent until mid-season, when the important meets arrived,"she said. "It was OK. I worked on my routine as I went."

Beilstein still won nearly every competition she entered before placing fifth in the state meet and fifth in the regional.

"She's the most talented gymnast I've ever worked with, and I've worked with thousands of kids over the years,"Heasley said. "Natalie is so powerful, so strong, and her awareness is uncanny.

"We're going (to Oklahoma City) to have fun, but I've explained to Natalie that this is a rare opportunity on a national stage. We're going there to win, too."

Suder joins Beilstein as the first Butler Gymnastics Club female gymnasts ever to qualify for Level 10 nationals.

Only the top eight placers in each age group at regionals move on. Heasley's team competes against gymnasts from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey and the District of Columbia at the regional meet each year.

Parkettes, based in Allentown, is sending 13 gymnasts to nationals. Hill's, based in Maryland, is sending 14.

"Those are elite programs that have produced Olympic athletes,"Heasley said. "We are not an elite program. These are simply two talented and very dedicated girls."

Suder placed ninth at regionals last year and was denied a chance to go to the national meet by a fraction of a point.

This year, she earned the first alternate qualifying spot despite making a mistake during the beam competition.

"I added an extra skill that wasn't allowed,"she said. "It cost me half a point.

"While I would have had a regular spot at nationals if not for that mistake, I was still thrilled to qualify at all. This is something that not many gymnasts ever get to do."

"Some kids relax once they get a scholarship, but Jessica never did,"Heasley said. "She worked harder than ever to get to this point."

The motivation was obvious.

"This was my last shot,"Suder said. "I wanted to experience this."

Here are the scores posted by Butler Gymnastics Club gymnasts Natalie Beilstein and Jessica Suder at the recent regional competition:<b>Natalie Beilstein</b>Age 15, Junior C GroupVault:third, 9.8Bars:11th, 9.1Beam:sixth, 9.225Floor: first, 9.625All-Around: fifth, 37.75<b>Jessica Suder</b>Age 18, Senior DGroupVault:11th. 9.375Bars:11th, 9.1Beam:ninth, 9.075Floor:ninth, 9.325All-Around:eighth, 36.875