Area gymnasts Morales, Strohscher win championships in Houston

HOUSTON – Two area gymnasts – Kaylee Morales and Breckeny Strohscher – were all-around champions at the AAU Junior Olympic Games being held this week in Houston, Tex.Morales, competing in the Diamond Division, won individual titles on the uneven bars (9.625) and balance beam (9.5), and finished second on vault (9.5) and third on floor (9.40). With the top an all-around score of 37.925 in the Senior Division, the sophomore-to-be at Liberty-Benton High School qualified for Saturday's finals in all four events and achieved Junior Olympic Games All-American status.Strohscher, who will be a sixth-grader at L-B Middle School, was first in the Gold Level, Junior Division with an all-around score of 38.40. Strohscher, who qualified for Saturday's finals on the beam, was third in that event on Friday with a score of 9.5. She also placed second on vault (9.50), third on floor (9.75) and fourth on bars (9.65).Bailee Powell, who also trains at Findlay Elite Gymnastics & Cheer, also qualified for the Junior Olympics after winning the balance beam (9.6) in the Diamond Division at the AAU Nationals held in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., in mid-June. Powell, though, did not compete in Thursday's Junior Olympics meet.