Strivers Sweep Podium at Kettle Moraine YMCA

(From left) Door County YMCA Strivers Xcel Silver 12-and-older gymnasts Keira Clark, Lauren Gaida and Evelynn Kelsey stand on the podium after earning the top-three places in the all-around competition during the Fire and Ice Invitational held the first weekend in March at the Kettle Moraine YMCA in West Bend. Submitted.

The Door County YMCA Strivers gymnastic team had a clean sweep of sorts in West Bend while competing on the first weekend in March in the 10-team Fire and Ice Invitational hosted by the Kettle Moraine YMCA.

The Strivers’ Xcel Silver gymnasts grabbed gold in the team competition with a score of 114.5. The Strivers won gold in the all-around competition in the nine-and-under, 10-11, and 12-and-over age categories.

In the 12-and-over age group, the Strivers swept the top-three places in the all-around. Lauren Gaida won gold, scoring 38.35 out of a possible 40 points. Keira Clark earned silver with a 37.7, while Evelynn Kelsey took bronze with a 37.6.

Gaida also won in the vault, beam and bars and placed second on the floor. Clark finished first on the floor, second on the beam and fourth on the bars. Kelsey earned silver on vault and bronze on beam and bars. Greta Virgin placed third on vault, fourth on beam and fifth on floor. Destiney Romero finished fourth on vault.

In the nine-and-under category, the Strivers had one gymnast compete, Ellie Kelsey, who grabbed gold in the all-around, floor and bars, and also placed fourth on the beam.

In the 10-11 age group, Sawyer Soukup won gold in the all-around, beam and vault. She also placed fourth on the floor and fifth on the bars. Brinley Newton placed first on bars, second on the floor, third in the all-around and fourth on vault. Delaney Allen placed fourth on bars.

Estelle Duerst led the Level 7 team to a silver team trophy. She won the all-around with a 36.7 and balance beam with a 9.45. Duerst also took bronze on vault and fourth on bars. Amira Anschutz won bars, earned silver on vault, bronze in the all-around and finished fourth on floor. Portia Hah earned silver on bars and bronze in the all-around and floor.

Shaylyn Asher competed in the Platinum division with one age group having high-school girls aged 16-17. She earned gold on bars scoring 9.0, silver in the all-around with a 34.7, and silver on the floor with a 9.35.

The Strivers will head to the State Tournament in Fond du Lac on March 16-17. Their Xcel Silver team is currently undefeated. The girls will be defending their 2022-23 state title, with the goal to return from Fond du Lac as back-to-back state champions.