TEG's Optional team competes in Houston

The Optional gymnastics team from Tyler's Texas East Gymnastics went head to head with Houston gymnasts at the Svetlana Boguinskia Invitational.

The competition was held at the Woodland Gymnastics Academy where nine-time World Champion and five-time Olympic medalist Svetlana Boguinskia looked on at the future stars of gymnastics.

Svetlana gave the gymnasts a pep talk, handed out awards, signed autographs and posed for pictures.

The Level 7 team had something of Svetlana's championship side in them when they took 1st place. Haven Hughes of Bullard maintained her personal winning streak after taking first place on nearly everything at this invitational.

Haven placed 2nd on Vault with a 9.775 and won 1st place on Bars Beam Floor and the All Around with a personal best of 38.075. Cori Roach of Pollok put up a 9.55 on Vault and took 3rd, Apryl Hansen of Tyler put up a 9.1 on Beam for 3rd place and Dibol's Amanda Hamilton put up a 9.6 on Floor for 2nd place.

The Level 9 Team comprised of Emily Rickman (Tyler), Erin Odom (Whitehouse) and Denaya Moore (Minneola) put in 12 solid events and brought home the Level 9 1st Place trophy.

To help the team Denaya contributed a 1st place on Bars with a 9.55 as well as 1st place in the All Around with a 37.55. Erin put her "two flips" in on Vault with a 9.4 for 1st place and Floor with a 9.35 for 3rd place. Emily rounded out the team with a 1st place on Beam with a 9.45 and 2nd place on Floor with a 9.5.

Ciara Maradiaga (Level 8) and Morgan Key (Level 10) didn't need teammates to help them come in first; each won their respective age levels plus individual events. Morgan placed 2nd on Bars and Beam with a 9.275 and a 9.3 helping her to clinch the overall with a 37.3. Ciara won gold on Bars with a 9.75 and sealed the All Around with a nice round 38.0

Coach Martin Parsley said, "The Svetlana Invitational was a great mid-season competition for us. We scored and placed well, this will help our confidence and aggressiveness as we make the big push toward final culminating meets in April and May."