Eleven girls, three different cities, one team and one chance to qualify for states. The Linden, Fenton and Lake Fenton gymnastics team (LFLF) went undefeated in the metro this year. Now the team takes on a whole new challenge as they travel to compete at the high school gymnastics regional competition.

“My team worked really hard this year and won a lot of meets,” freshman Emily Allor said. “Each of us got four qualifying scores on our events, which lets us go to regionals. This year, we’re up against some pretty good teams so I’m nervous to see how it all plays out.”

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PHOTO Maya Mead

In order to be able to participate at regionals, the girls had to get the qualifying scores necessary. They will all be competing in four events; beam, bars, floor, and vault. Once the team completes that task they were on their way to MHSAA Regionals on Mar. 3 in Grand Ledge High School. Placing top three at regionals will give them the chance to make it to states for the first time in LFLF’ s history.

“We have never gone to states as a team,” sophomore Morgan Smith said. “I’m nervous because we’re so close to making it to states this year. This is the closest we’ve ever been before and we can’t let the competition get to us. We have to nail all of the events.”

After all four of their events were finished, the team scores were tallied up. Then came the moment of truth to see if their efforts placed them in the top three. When the scores finally came the LFLF gymnastics team found out that for the first time in history, they would be going to the state competition, after finishing with a first place win. They came in first with a score of 143.575, after Brighton and Howell tied for second at 141.425 points.

“Words can’t describe the feeling we all felt after winning regionals,” Smith said. “It was the teams biggest dream to actually to go to states. As soon as they said our team name we instantly started to cry because of the shock we felt after not only making it to states but winning regionals. Winning the meet was something we never even thought was possible. I’m still in shock.”

The state finals for gymnastics will be held on Mar. 9 at Rockford high school. Come and support the history-making LFLF gymnastics team compete in their first ever state competition.