Three Clark County gymnasts earn state medals

TACOMA — They had their moments of awe, just watching their fellow competitors warm up, just excited to be part of this event.

Then they realized they were among the best, as well.

Alexa Dietz and Jacqueline Purwins of Camas and Emily Mattsen of Heritage all earned medals Saturday at the Class 4A state gymnastics meet at the Tacoma Dome’s Exhibtion Hall.

“I’m really proud of how I did. I was really happy with how things turned out,” said Dietz, who took third place on the floor and fifth on the vault. “I had so much fun today. It was stressful, too. But I had more fun than stress.”

Purwins finished in third place on the bars and eighth on the vault.

“It’s crazy. I didn’t think I was going to place. I was just having fun,” Purwins said, adding that this is the first time she had reached finals. “There are some really good girls here. Actually placing is incredible.”

Mattsen finished seventh on the vault, giving Clark County three medals in the event.

“It was an accomplishment just to get here,” Mattsen said.

Dietz scored a 9.525 on the floor exercise. She acknowledged she took a look at the competition prior to her performance.

“These girls are really good,” she said. “I knew I had to hit a clean routine. I’ll just go as hard as I can, and it worked really well.”

Purwins was the 15th of 16 competitors on the bars. So she knew she earned a medal as soon as her score — 9.3 — posted.

“I feel like I could have been better,” Purwins said. “I always feel like I could have done better. But it got me third place. I’m happy.”

Mattsen scored a 9.375 on her vault. She said she peaked at the right time, throwing her vault successfully for the first time all season in Friday’s qualifying round and then again in the finals.

“I was super nervous but I’m glad I did it,” Mattsen said.

The 4A individual event finals capped a memorable weekend for Clark County gymnasts. Camas finished second in the team standings Friday night and Purwins took fourth in the all-around competition. Earlier on Friday, Sarah Ellis of Columbia River won the Class 3A/2A state title on the balance beam.

Class 4A Gymnastics
at Tacoma Dome’s Exhibition Hall
Individual event finals
Top 8 medalists, plus local finishers

Vault
1, Zella Conley (Mead) 9.725; 2, Alli McManus (Woodinville) 9.625; 3, Emi Bacha (Sumner) 9.5; 4, Karissa Saelee (Mount Rainier) 9.45; 5, Alexa Dietz (Camas) 9.425; 6, Jessica Harpel (Ferris) 9.4; 7, Emily Mattsen (Heritage) 9.375; 8, Jacqueline Purwins (Camas) 9.325.

Beam
1, Naleia Gomes (Mount Rainier) 9.475; 2, Alli McManus (Woodinville) 9.35; 3, Kim Kramers (Ingelmoor); 4, Kylie Mosset (Woodinville) 9.275; 5, Bailey Miller (Emerald Ridge) 9.15; 6, Ali Tate (Auburn) 9.125; 7, Karissa Saelee (Mount Rainier) 8.975; 8 (tie) Ella Simmons (Bothell) and Jessica Harpel (Ferris) 8.95.
Also: 12, Madison Martin (Camas) 8.525; 14, Alexa Dietz (Camas) 8.35; 15, Jacqueline Purwins (Camas) 7.4

Bars
1, Alli McManus (Woodinville) 9.55; 2, Naleia Gomes (Mount Rainier) 9.375; 3, Jacqueline Purwins (Camas) 9.3; 4, Kim Kramers (Inglemoor) 9.25; 5, Cecilia Loudermilk (Kentlake) 9.15; 6, Anna Olsen (Skyline) 9.075; 7, Karissa Saelee (Mount Rainier) 9.0; 8, Kelly Richardson (Emerald Ridge) 8.95.
Also: 9, Jadyn Gobert (Heritage) 8.725; 13, Emily Mattsen (Heritage) 8.25

Floor
1, Zella Conley (Mead) 9.6; 2, Alli McManus (Woodinville) 9.575; 3, Alexa Dietz (Camas) 9.525; 4, Kim Kramers (Inglemoor) 9.5; 5, (tie) Erin Clayton (Bothell) and Karissa Saelee (Mount Rainier) 9.45; 7, Kylie Mosset (Woodinville) 9.425; 8. (tie), Jessica Harpel (Ferris) and Ellie Mann (Woodinville) 9.4.