Stumpf's gymnasts excel at New York State championships

The level 5 team from Stumpf's Gymnastics Center won the New York State Gymnastics Championships at West Point Military Academy. Members of the team, pictured from left, are: front row - coach Dan Molnar, Nicholas Rey, Griffin Ingerson, coach Steve Martin; back row - Luke Penner, Bram Houston, Dylan Arena, Josh Menegaux, Matthew Salvati, Spencer Henley and Stephen Frost.

The boys teams from Stumpf's Gymnastics Center competed in the New York State Gymnastics Championships held at West Point Military Academy. The boys, coached by Dan Molnar, excelled in the competition, winning team awards and producing six individual state champions.

The strong level 5 team dominated the competition, winning first place in the 7- to 9-year-old division and producing two champions in the event finals. Stephen Frost led the team with a 54.15 all-around, which earned him the silver medal in all-around competition. Additionally, Frosty struck gold in the event finals, where he was named the state champion of the vault and parallel bars. Josh Menegaux also performed well, earning bronze all-around with a 53.80. Most impressive was Menegaux's rings routine that scored a 9.30 and earned him a state champion title. Teammate Spencer Henley executed another stellar rings routine to earn the silver. Henley was tenth all-around. Also competing in the 7- to 9-year-old division were Nicholas Rey (Clarence), Griffin Ingerson and Dylan Arena (Clarence); Rey's best event was high bar, where he finished 16th. Ingerson was 12th on rings, and Arena was 19th in the state on parallel bars.

The 10- to 11-year-old division of level 5 won fourth place as a team, competing with only three members. Bram Houston tied for ninth in all-around and fourth on rings. Matthew Salvati (Clarence) was 12th all-around and won bronze on parallel bars. Luke Penner tied for sixth place on high bar with a 9.20.

The level 6 team earned second place team honors and produced Stumpf's only all-around champion. Mack Lasker won gold on parallel bars and high bar on his was to being named all-around champion of the 8- to 9-year-old division. Additionally, Lasker was second on floor exercise, pommel horse and rings. Teammate Noah Roberson won second in the 10- to 11-year-old group as well as on parallel bars. Roberson was third on pommel horse, rings, vault and high bar. Seth Messer earned a 9.50 on vault and tied for fourth on vault. Connor Story (Clarence) and Brian Sheppard (Lancaster) competed in the 12-and-over division and finished seventh and ninth place, respectively, in the all-around competition. Story and Sheppard also shared a fourth-place tie on floor.

The level 8 squad of Joey Lysen (Clarence), Adam Cole and Cameron Collins (Clarence) each executed strong performances, earning fourth-place team honors and producing two New York State events champions. Cole, who finished ninth in all-around, was the rings champion, and Collins, who finished 10th all-around, was the state vault champion. Lysen finished seventh in all-around and won bronze on the vault.

Level 9 also won a fourth-place team banner. Aaron Benson (Depew) led the team with an eighth-place finish in all-around, a tie for third on floor and a fourth on vault. Michael Wozniak (Clarence) finished 16th all-around and was ninth on rings. John Zirna was 18th in the state in all-around and tied for 10th on vault. Cody Stumpf was 13th on floor exercise, Nathaniel Roberson was 15th on high bar and Adam Arena was 16th on vault.

Jimmy Pezzino represented Stumpf's in level 10 and was named the state vault champion. Pezzino was also second on high bar, third on floor and fifth all-around.