Class 3A/2A gymnastics: Griebenow adds three more titles

TACOMA — Abby Griebenow decided to give high-school gymnastics a try this season to help her rebound from a back injury suffered last year during club competition.

It seems to be healthy therapy for the junior from Kennedy.

Griebenow, who claimed the state Class 3A/2A all-around championship during Friday night's team competition, yesterday added three individual crowns to her collection at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.

Griebenow posted the day's top score in winning the floor exercise with a 9.8, and took first on the balance beam (9.65) and vault (9.65) in individual competition.

Only Alli Moore of Sehome prevented her from making a clean sweep of all four events. Moore won the uneven parallel bars with a 9.725; Griebenow placed second at 9.625.

Griebenow has been competing in her sport since age 7, though this was her first experience at the high-school level.

"I wasn't working out at club as often or as hard as I did usually because of the back injury," Griebenow said. "So I decided to try high school just for fun.

"Here I only work out twice a week on floor and vault," she said. "It's a little easier competition here and a lot less stressful.

"I have fun at both," she added. "High school is relaxing, and it's nice to be around friends. But I just like to compete."

At the urging of her club coach, Griebenow added an impressive twisting Yurchenko half-front into her vault yesterday.

"He told me, 'You're twisting it today,' " she said. "He wanted me to get some experience trying it in competition. It felt good."

Griebenow and Elizabeth Giles of Issaquah, the two-time 3A/2A team champion, were the only gymnasts in the field of 22 individuals who qualified to compete in all four events.

Giles tied Brynn Stenslie of Hazen for second place in the vault (9.35) and took third on bars (9.45). Giles was one of just four seniors who advanced to the individual finals.

Kennedy sophomore Kim Merlich, who as a grade-school student belonged to the same club as Griebenow, placed second on floor (9.6) and beam (9.55).

Skyline freshman Courtney Kyte took third on beam (9.5) and floor (9.5). Another freshman, 4-foot-10 human hummingbird Kendra Miller of Newport, tied Kyte for third on beam (9.5) and tied for fifth on floor (9.45).

Issaquah, a model of teamwork while going undefeated this season, demonstrated uncanny team unity on beam, where all four competitors — Giles, Amy Bernard, Maureen Poston and Danielle Borth — all fell.

"We've been consistent all year," Issaquah Coach Ryan Fleisher said with a laugh. "No one gets left out."

Sammamish senior Helen Wong, the District 1-2 all-around runner-up, took fourth in floor (9.475) and tied for fifth on bars (9.175).

The popular gymnast also earned the biggest laugh from the crowd for her whimsical list of hobbies and activities: "Competitive speed-reading; collects online dating profiles; sells janitorial supplies from home."