TACOMA - Kristen Rodal of Highline led Highline area athletes into individual final events after Friday, Feb. 17, competition of the 2012 Washington State High School Gymnastics meet held at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.

In addition to posting an eighth place score of 36.6 behind the accumulated 38.275 of first place Kiya Bjorge of Southridge, the Pirate gymnast unleashed a first place vault of 9.6 as her Saturday finals qualifying score. Rodal also stuck her beam routine for a first place 9.5 with an 8.5 tie for 12th on the uneven parallel bars behind the event winning total of 9.525 from Maddison Ward of Enumclaw closing out her qualifying performances.

"I just needed to stay balanced and focused," she said. "All the elements flowed together on the beam."

In the 3A/2A classification, the top 16 on each event qualified for the next day finals.

For Decatur, Anna Paradee earned spots with a 9.425 tie for eighth on the vault, a 9.125 ninth place on the balance beam and a 14th place 9.45 behind the top total of 9.75 of Bjorge.

"I was a little wobbly (on the beam), but I connected on my entire series," said a happy Lady Gator.

Decatur teammate Tori Braun also found the formula for finals entry with a 9.525 seventh place tie on the floor exercise.

Senior Charlotte Dittmar of Kennedy Catholic rounded out the quartet of area state finals representatives from the 3A/2A group with a sixth place 9.25 on the beam.

Sophomore Olivia Bannerot and freshman Ward placed second and third in the all- around as Enumclaw flew away from the field with a school-record 177.6 points for the team championship in its second year of fielding a squad.

Columbia River (167.8) and Bainbridge (167.525) finished second and third, respectively.