Whidbey athletes shine in opening contest / Trampoline & tumbling

Five Whidbey Island athletes who compete for Ground Zero Gymnastics Trampoline and Tumbling out of Mount Vernon opened the competitive season with a solid performance at the Next Level Invitational in Tacoma Jan. 21.

Kaia Crebbin and Lainey Samek led the way by capturing titles.

Crebbin won the overall Level 6 tumbling crown while also placing fifth in Level 6 double mini and sixth in Level 6 trampoline in her age group.

Samek took the Level 3 trampoline title and added a third place in Level 4 double mini and a fourth place in Level 4 tumbling in her division.

Heidi Mullins was second overall in Level 3 trampoline, and she nabbed second in Level 5 tumbling and fourth in double mini in her age group.

Allison Lovett placed in three events in her class: third in Level 6 double mini, fourth in Level 6 trampoline and sixth in Level 4 tumbling.

Halia Stegeman also placed three times: third in Level 5 trampoline and tumbling and seventh in Level 6 double mini. For her “go for broke attitude,” according to team spokeswoman Pam Lovett, Stegeman received Athlete of the Meet honors.

Ground Zero’s next competition is Saturday, Feb. 4, in Maple Valley.