At all levels, X-Cel gymnasts find success

By SAM TALLARICO Eagle Staff Writer

July 23, 2009 Last Updated: July 23, 2009 03:01 PM Amateur

CRANBERRY TWP — The team was similar; the routines weren't.

That didn't prevent the X-Cel Gymnastics Level 7 squad from capturing first place at the recent state championship meet in Gettysburg.

The team was made up primarily of the Level 6 team that won the state title a year ago. It won the Western Pennsylvania sectional at X-Cel to advance to the state meet.

"We were very hopeful, then we got to go to the state meet," said X-Cel coach and team manager Cara Blumenschein. "It was a new experience. We were hoping at least top five. It was a nice cap to the year."

The reason? The competitors in Levels 4 though 6 perform the same routines and same skills. Beginning with Level 7, participants are optional-level gymnasts, meaning they are free to do their own routines.

The Level 7 team is comprised of Michaela Abbs, Morgan Culichia, Stephanie Dorsch, Abrianna Fagan, Hannah Fellers, Eden Fletcher, Alexandra Fochler, Anna Marie Haywood, Alexandra Herbick, Molly Koegler, Madison Kurlandski, Victoria Love, Nicole Miller, Megan Monfredi and Brittany Munn.

Highlighting the state title were performances by Dorsch, who won the bars and floor performances, and Koegler, who was the vault champion.

The squad shined just as bright at the sectionals, where Dorsch won the all-around, bars and floor; Monfredi took the all-around, vault and beam; and Haywood took the vault and bars while she tied in the floor exercise.

Other sectional champions were Abbs (bars and floor), Fochler (tie for beam and floor), Love (floor) and Munn (bars).

This year's Level 7 gymnasts weren't the only champions for X-Cel as the Prep Optional and Level 6 squads were crowned Western Pennsylvania sectional champions.

The Level 5 team qualified for the state meet and did very well, according to Blumenschein, while Level 8 had two girls, Madison Graner and Alexsis Petrikis, advance to the national competition, which was held in Kissimmee, Fla.

Level 9 is the first of the levels that compete on a national stage, but some Level 8s do advance to join them.

Petrikis qualified for the Level 9 regionals, where she won the bars competition and tied in vault at the state meet.

Four of the five Level 8 girls moved on to the regionals, which included teams from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and Maryland.

The Level 9 team all qualified for regionals while Level 10 gymnasts Lauren Wozniak, Jordan Gillette, Allie Misenhelter and Zara Karuman also advanced to nationals.

Wozniak won the National Invitational Tournament's all-around and vault events and tied on floor.

The X-Cel staff has 11 coaches, headed by owners Frank and Kathy Klein, who have been the owners since 1994.

Frank is the head coach of the team at all levels while Blumenschein manages the team and personally coaches Levels 8 through 10.

The Levels 5 through 7 coaches include Erika Pfenningwerth, Wes Woodward, Lindsey Stancil, Lisa Boben and Biyu Sun. The Level 8 coaches are Klein, Blumenschein, Bob Blanchett and Dave Sedgwick.

While the bulk of the season has passed, the gymnasts are still putting in their time.

"From about age 8 and up, they put in about 16 hours a week and the older kids up to 22 hours," said Blumenschein. "We're pretty fortunate. We work with great kids and families that are very supportive."

Following are the X-Cel gymnasts who placed first at sectionals, states, regionals and/or nationals.Level 10Lauren Wozniak: National Invitational Tournament All-Around, Vault & Floor (tie)Jordan Gillette: Pa. State BeamLevel 9Alexsis Petrikis: Region 7 Bars & Pa. State Vault (tie)Level 8Madison Graner: Pa. State BarsTaylor Hockenberry: Pa. State FloorKacie Lach: Pa. State All-Around & VaultLevel 7Michaela Abbs: Sectionals Bars & FloorStephanie Dorsch: Pa. State Bars & Floor and Sectionals All-Around, Bar & FloorAlexandra Fochler: Sectionals Beam (tie) & Floor (tie)Anna Marie Haywood: Sectionals Vault, Bars & Floor (tie)Molly Koegler: PA State VaultVictoria Love: Sectionals FloorMegan Monfredi: Sectionals All-Around, Vault & BeamBrittany Munn Sectionals BarsPrep OptionalAshley Evans: Pa. State All-Around, Bars, Beam & Floor and Sectionals All-Around, Beam & FloorAlyssa Fernandez: Sectionals All-Around, Vault & FloorBrooke Mancuso: Pa. State Bars and Sectionals All-Around & BarsRachel McAndrew: Sectionals FloorAbigal Porritt: Sectionals BeamKylie Radick: Pa. State Beam (tie) & Sectionals All-Around, Beam & FloorAdvanced Prep OptionalJenny Hartnett: Sectionals BarsKelly Moran: Pa. State Bars and Sectionals All-Around, Bars, Beam & FloorElizabeth Thomas: Sectionals BeamLevel 6Taylor Bertini: Pa. State Floor and Sectionals All-Around & FloorAlexis Gorman: Sectionals Bars & Beam (tie)Sierra Myers: Sectionals BeamZoe Schweitzer: Pa. State Bars and Sectionals Beam (tie)Level 5Nicole Borkowski: Pa State VaultBecca Boyd: Sectionals BarsLogan Meanor: Sectionals BarsNote: Members of the X-Cel Level 7 state champion gymnastics team include Morgan Culichia, Nicole Miller, Hannah Fellers, Megan Monfredi, Anna Marie Haywood, Alexandra Herbick, Molly Koegler, Brittany Munn, Abrianna Fagan, Michaela Abbs, Alexandra Fochler, Stephanie Dorsch, Eden Fletcher, Victoria Love, Madison Kurlandski.