Gymnastics
Maria Ramsey of Columbia competed at the 2015 USA Gymnastics Level 9 Eastern National Championship in Kissimmee, Fla. on May 9. The Oakland Mills High School freshman placed 4th on Vault (9.6), 6th on Balance Beam (9.25), 5th on Floor (9.375), 5th on All-Around, and posted a career-high 37.3 in the Senior 2 age group. The event was the competitive season's culmination event, and featured the country's best Level 9 gymnasts.
Running
Thirty-four Howard County Striders came out for a 5k run at Hammond High May 10. Mark Loeffler led the men, and Terri Wytko paced the women.
Top 5k finishers: 1. Mark Loeffler, 19:27; 2. Sean Costello, 20:09; 3. Alex Albertini, 20:36; 4. Karsten Brown, 20:59; 5. John Way, 21:27; 6. John Chall, 21:48; 7. Gregg Ford, 21:52; 8. Donnie Chapman, 21:53; 9. Terri Wytko, 22:10; 10. Alan Mulindwa, 22:20.
11. Erik Halverson, 22:41; 12. Steve Knoll, 22:44; 13. Kirk Gordon, 23:39; 14. James Moreland, 24:23; 15. Jeff Vohr, 25:22; 16. Laura Calvert, 25:58; 17. Evan Calvert, 25:59; 18. Alan Tominack, 26:14; 19. Dover Daton, 26:16; 20. Ron Weber, 26:18.
21. Cindy Cohen, 27:22; 22. James Scarborough, 27:48; 23. Marsha Demaree, 28:12; 24. Linda Alms, 28:41; 25. Hans D. Meurer, 29:17; 26. Judith Weber, 29:38; 27. Roger Calvert, 30:48; 28. Sari Chapman, 31:20; 29. Amanda Idstein, 32:10; 30. Sharlene Deskins, 32:27.
Basketball
Columbia's XEP Static girls AAU traveling basketball team went 4-0 to win the 7th and 8th grade division of the Max Exposure Tournament Championships in Martinsburg, W.V., on May 9.
The title qualifies them for the NTBA Basketball Championships in Myrtle Beach, S.C., in June. The roster includes Allison DeBoy, Imani Stanford, Chyna, Lillyann Eldridge, Jenna Pasternak, Tahlia Brown-Strangherlin, Marley Grenway, Zhuri Cannon and Alexandra Hargrett. The team is coached by Bernard Grenway and Wayne Eldridge.
Jump rope
Twenty-nine members of the Kangaroo Kids Competition Team participated in the AAU Maryland Qualifier Tournament at the Meadowbrook Athletic Complex on May 9. There were over 100 jumpers from nine different teams from MD, NJ, PA and VA. The top-10 jumpers in each age division qualified to compete at the AAU Junior Olympics this summer in Hampton Roads, Va.
In the Overall Individual Events, the Kangaroo Kids had four Overall Gold Medalists: Isla Gleeson, Jenna Meek, Sophie Skalny and Cameron Simmons; four Overall Silver Medalists: Kacie Costello, Christina Kratzmeier, Devin Meek and Lily Trossman; and five Overall Bronze Medalists: Lily Drechsler, Mayah Francisco, Michael Laper, Mason Meek and Drew Meininger.
In the overall Pairs Events, the Kangaroo Kids had two Overall Gold Medalist Pairs: pairs Abby Sanders & Greta Shambeau and pairs Cameron Simmons & Aaron Weingrad; two overall Silver Medalist Pairs: pairs Lily Drechsler & Isla Gleeson and pairs Christina Kratzmeier & Sophie Skalny; and two Overall Bronze Medalist Pairs: pairs Braedan Coghlan & Mason Meek and pairs Devin Meek & Drew Meininger.
In the Overall Double Dutch Events, the Kangaroo Kids had two Overall Gold Medalist Teams: the team of Maria Ciarrocchi, Michael Laper, Jenna Meek & Lily Trossman and the team of Devin Meek, Drew Meininger, Cameron Simmons & Aaron Weingrad; and three Overall Silver Medalist Teams: the team of Braedan Coghlan, Francesca DiValentin, Mayah Francisco & Mason Meek, the team of Lily Drechsler, Kirsten Prox, Abby Sanders & Greta Shambeau and the team of Christina Kratzmeier, Sophie Skalny, Meg Weidman & Alison Young.
In addition to the overall medalists, also qualifying were Amy Augustino, Anna Childress, Jaeda Cohen, Emily Gates, Elizabeth Hughes, Michael Maiden and Megan McGuire.