Summit Gymnastics Center sent 43 athletes from five separate levels of the Junior Olympic training program to compete in the recently-held fourth annual Jacquie’s Buffalo Challenge at the Greater Buffalo Gymnastics Center in North Amherst.

The event began Saturday afternoon at the Optional level. Elma residents Chloe Gilbert and Samantha Morcio represented Summit at the USAG Level 8, and Gilbert was competing in her first meet in over two years. Gilbert looked as if she had been competing every day over those two years, though, as she placed second on beam and sixth all around. Morcio, a rookie at the level, was close behind, placing third on beam and seventh all around.

Later in the weekend, the Level 8 all arounds would contribute to Optional Level team totals – and ultimately earn the second-place team banner.

The next competition was held early Sunday morning, as Summit launched its first-ever Level 4 Junior Olympic team. This was the inaugural meet for 14 rookie gymnasts, who were led by the club’s first all around record at the level by Emerson Hall. Hall won the all around and also set a club record in placing second on floor.

Orchard Park’s Riley Bernas was vault champion in her age group, while teammate Grace Addesa (East Aurora) placed second. East Aurora’s Jordyn Mucklewee set the beam record in placing third on beam, while Julia Patti (Elma) placed second on beam with the new level’s record score.

Completing the team and contributing to the second-place overall finish were West Seneca residents Dasha Korsh and Kyrsten Ripple, Marilla’s Zada Piniewski, Elma’s Ashlie Schasel and Kara Klinski, and East Aurora’s Molly Acquard, Sydney Ottomano and Parker Polston.

Sunday afternoon included competition at Levels 5, 6 and 7. Summit’s Level 5 team led off and dominated in winning its second invitational team championship this season. The team was led by Kareena Plauman, who set a club all around record with her score of 38.05 to win. Teammate Rachel Anthony (East Aurora) was close behind as she won her age group’s all around, as well as the bars, beam and floor events. Anthony also finished third on vault.

Elma’s Emilee Pitillo won the vault and was second all around to Anthony, while teammate Lauren Radka (Elma) was third to propel Summit to a sweep of the age group. Pitillo also finished second on bars and beam, while Radka finished third on floor. West Seneca’s Nastya Korsh was third all around and won the floor event.

Rookies Marissa Volk (East Aurora) and Mari Aures (East Aurora) were second and third on bars in their respective age groups. Rookie Olivia Ruffner (East Aurora) was second on floor, while Lauren Willit (East Aurora) placed third on balance beam.

Completing the squad and contributing to the team’s championship performance were East Aurora’s Megan Axelson, Elma’s Madison Bork, West Seneca’s Emily LaCerais and Lancaster’s Heather Thomson.

Summit’s Level 6 and 7 squads competed during the afternoon of the competition’s second day; the Level 6 team followed the lead of the Level 5’s in also winning its second invitational team title of the season. Summit’s top all around performer was first-year Level 6 gymnast Julia Rak. Close behind in third all around was Elma’s Jocelyn Heerdt. Heerdt also placed second on bars.

East Aurora’s Kiera Shanahan was the floor champion, and was second in her age group both on the uneven bars and all around. West Seneca’s Maura Graham placed second on Floor, while adding to the championship team total were top-five scores from East Aurora’s Lindsay Baase, Marilla’s Alexis Piniewski, and Lancaster’s Carrie O’Neil and Madeline Taneff.

Level 7, the entry level of optional competition, helped Summit placed second in the Optional Team standings — the team standings are determined by the combined scores of the Optional Levels 7 and 8 squads.

The solid performance of Level 7’s Melanie Barrett led the way, as she won vault and placed second on beam, floor and all around. East Aurora Isabelle Blanchard followed by placing second on bars, and third on beam, floor and all around.

Elma’s Lauren Broderick placed third in her age group on uneven bars and all around, while Elma’s Molly Tent was vault champion. East Aurora’s Collette Anikwue was second and Marilla’s Taylor Woltz was fifth on bars to complete a near sweep of the event.