TACOMA-Senior Anissa Madrid of John F. Kennedy High School closed out a brilliant career with verve and vigor on February 17.

Bounding highly and completing an energetic double back flip on her floor routine, she secured a 9.7 score to tie Corinne Wise of West Seattle for the individual gold medal at the WIAA/Dairy Farmers of Washington Class 3A/2A state gymnastics finals in the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall.

Adding her previous four titles in 2004 and three titles last year, Madrid tied Katie Dinsmore (1999-2002) of Lakeside (Nine Mile Falls) at eight crowns - the most in small school history.

"I'm happy that I did the best I could," exuded Madrid. "It was part of my goal to win all four events, but there was good competiton out there, and that's the best I could do. I'm happy with that."

In her other final events, the superb athlete took second on the vault (9.65) and the beam (9.525) as well as swinging to an 8.9 ninth on the bars. Her main opposition was junior Marie Welsh of Bainbridge, who outscored Madrid 38.625 to 38.325 for first in all-around competition on Friday. Welsh took the vault at 9.775 and the bars at 9.675. Kristin Scribner of Bonney Lake won the bars at 9.55.

In the all-around competition, the JFK gymnast led the performers on the floor (9.775) and beam (9.725). Madrid's other results included a 9.625 third place on the vault and a 9.2 ninth place on bars.

The top ten competitors from each event on Friday moved on to the Saturday championships, but their scores from Friday, which counted for the all-around competition, didn't carry over.

Throughout the final events, Madrid exhibited playfulness and joking, even exclaiming, "It's over !" with a smile on her face after landing slightly sideways off the uneven parallel bars.

"What makes it so fun is the competition," she said. "I enjoy gymnastics so much. I enjoy how hard it is, that so few people can do what girls out here can do. Not a lot of people can do Yurchenko layouts or aerials on the beam. I'm really passionate about it."

As Madrid looked forward to a collegiate career in gymnastics, Lancer teammate Gwen Smithberg looked at her state achievements as a sophomore.

"I messed up on the bars and fell on the beam Saturday," she recalled. "Friday was good, though. I'm way better this year."

In her Friday action, Smithberg finished in a fourth-place of 37.25 in the all-arounds. Her bars score of 9.5 was good enough to qualify for the finals while her 9.3 score on the vault sent her to the finals. Smithberg finished in a 9.25 tie for sixth on the bars and in an 8.65 tenth place on Vault.

Another Highline School District gymnast conclude a conspicuously capable career for Evergreen of White Center.

After qualifying on the bars with a 9.325 and on the balance beam with a 9.325 on Friday night, senior Holly Steinauer finshed with an 8.875 sixth place in the beam finals and an 8.8 tenth place on bars.

"It was a pretty good experience," Steinauer said. "Drive and determination is what thought. I never give up."

Steinauer's Wolverine coach paid tribute to her gymnast.

"It was a challenge to get here today," said Evergreen coach Echo Balliet. "Class 3A has improved so much with the new teams (after state reclassification) It's an honor to be here.

"Holly has grown so much as a gymnast. She was able to come back after not doing so well. The measure of her success was more than what was measured by the scores. We were able to find a few things in her routines that weren't necessarily related to the judges' scoring."