LAKEPORT, Calif. – A team of Lake County gymnasts put on stellar performances at their respective state competitions over the past two weekends, with two of them now heading to a five-state regional event.
Skycatch Gymnastics of Lakeport’s boys’ gymnasts have had another winning year.
Under the direction of gym owner and coach, Roger Devore, himself a former competitive gymnast, the entire team – Philip Sparkes, age 10, level four; Alex Fordham and Trey Broyles, both age 10, level five; and Catch Devore, 14, and Tanner Broyles, 13, level six – qualified for the state finals this year.
After this month’s state competitions, Catch Devore came out with a top statewide finish, getting first-place in the all-around competition for his level.
Philip, who recently started gymnastics but quickly took to it, decided to forgo the state meet on March 12 in Emeryville, however, teammates Alex and Trey made the trip, according to their parents.
Alex had a fifth-place all-around finish. He placed second in the pommel horse, fifth on the high bar, fifth on the parallel bars, sixth on the rings, eighth on the floor exercise and 13th on the vault.
Trey placed 13th all around. He had a third place finish on the floor exercise, seventh on the vault, 10th on the pommel horse, 12th on the rings, 13th on the parallel bars and 13th on the high bar.
Top three finishers in each individual discipline took home a medal, with the top six in the all-around competition also receiving medals.
“Medaling for state is a pretty big deal,” said Annette Broyles, mother of Trey and older brother, Tanner.
Then, it was Tanner and Catch’s turn at their state competition – Level 6, Division 1, for ages 13 and over – held in Oroville on March 19. Close to 100 young athletes competed that day, Broyles said.
Tanner finished 12th all around, with a first place on vault, eighth on pommel, eighth on parallel bars, 14th on rings, 15th on floor and 15th on high bar.
Catch’s performance at the state meet would earn him first-place finishes in the floor, rings and high bar, second on the vault, 11th on the parallel bars and 14th on the pommel horse, for an overall first-place all-around finish.
Broyles said Catch’s floor exercise received more than 11 points, the highest score of the day and a topic of conversation for other athletes throughout the competition. No one thought they could match him on the floor, and it turns out that no one did.
Trey and Alex’s competitive season is now done. For Tanner and Catch, however, there is more ahead: Both qualified for the regional competition in Reno on April 9.
The regional competition covers all of California, as well as Arizona, Hawaii and Nevada, Broyles said.
This is the second time Catch has qualified for regionals, the first time for Tanner, Broyles said.
Because of his finish in the top five, Catch will be part of the Nor Cal All Star Team and will take part in a mini camp this weekend in Elk Grove, Broyles said. Catch also was on last year’s All Star Team.
Amidst their heavy competitive schedule, both Tanner and Catch maintain a 3.6 grade point average. Broyles said Tanner attends Mountain Vista Middle School and Catch is home-schooled.
“It's challenging to maintain that grade point average training four to five days a week, between 12 to 18 hours a week,” Broyles said.
Depending on how it goes on April 9, there could still yet be further competitive opportunities for the boys at the national level.
But Catch’s mom Jerae Devore, who like her husband Roger also was a competitive gymnast, is being guarded in her expectations.
“We’ve never gone that far so we’re taking it one step at a time,” she said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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