Dragon gymnasts advancing to State Finals

The New Palestine gymnastics team is advancing to the State Finals after finishing second at the Lafayette Jeff regional on Friday night.

The Dragons scored 103.5, finishing second to Logansport (107.1). The top two teams in the six-team regional advance to the State Finals, which will be held March 16 at Ball State University's Worthen Arena.

NP advanced comfortably -- more than 2.5 points ahead of third-place Franklin Central (100.925) and Noblesville (100.3), both teams the Dragons outdistanced last week to win the sectional. Lafayette Jeff (98.375) and Harrison (92.0) finished fifth and sixth.

The Dragons' Kenzi Hoffman was third in the all-around with a score of 36.15. Kaytlin Fee was eighth with 33.65.

In individual events, the Dragons had their best performance on the floor exercise. Hoffman and Hough tied for second with a score of 9.3, while Fee was sixth (9.15) and Annabelle Dockins seventh (9.0).

On balance beam, Hoffman was second (8.825), Fee 13th (7.6), Shelly Huesman 17th (7.1) and Hough 20th (6.8).

Hoffman was fourth on bars (8.775), Huesman seventh (8.45), Fee ninth (8.2) and Dockins 15th (7.725). On vault, Hoffman placed fifth (9.25), Dockins 11th (8.85), Fee 13th (8.7) and Julie Hilton 18th (8.55).

Logansport's Kelley Platt was the regional champion in all four individual events and the all-around.