2002-2003 Results


Piney Orchard Skaters Successful at Wilmington USFSA Skating Competition

Five skaters from the Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team gathered honors during the annual United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA)’s annual Skate Wilmington competition, held in late July in Wilmington, Del. The five skaters -- representing two of Piney Orchard's skating families -- collected three gold medals, a silver and a fourth place finish in six events.

Christina Flood of Severn captured a gold medal in the competitions’ ladies intermediate long program and added fifth place in her intermediate short program. “She skated a clean program that was thrilling to watch, said David Young, Christina’s coach at Piney Orchard. “Several spectators and all the judges were very complimentary on her presence and [her] quality performance.”

Her performance during the competition resulted in being awarded the Dorothy Dotson Trophy for Excellence in Free Skating. Young said the Dotson Trophy was one of two trophies awarded annually to skaters for outstanding performances in the Wilmington competition. The other-- the Kiedel Memorial Award -- is presented for excellence in Ice Dancing.

Young knows first-hand of the ice dancing award, as he and Robin Neumann -- another current Piney Orchard coach -- won the Kiedel a few years ago. However, as a coach, he’s passing his experience to his younger skaters -- with some excellent results.

For example, in the Pre-Silver solo dance competition, two of Young’s skaters finished in first and second place. Lindsey Flood of Severn and Crownsville's Erin Cress actually tied for the top spot in the ice dancing category. However, under the tie-breaking system in place at Wilmington, Lindsey was awarded the gold medal, with Ms. Cress receiving the silver.

Lindsey also earned a fourth place finishing in Pre-Bronze Solo Dance.

Another gold medal winner was Gary Cress (Erin’s younger brother), who earned the top spot in the boys No-Test Free Skate competition.

Shannon Flood, the youngest of the Flood sisters, battled to take a seventh place finish in a tough, highly contested Girls Preliminary Freestyle competition.

Skaters Pass USFSA Tests

Four Piney Orchard skaters successfully passed U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA) tests April 18 and 19 at Bowie Ice Arena. Crofton's Carli Jenkins passed the "Paso Doble" phase of her USFSA Pre-Gold Ice dancing tests, while Severn's Lindsey Flood was successful in passing the "Hickory Hoedown" Bronze level dance. Flood also passed her Intermediate field moves in freestyle skating.

A third ice dancer -- Aunna Stoll of Davidsonville -- completed her pre-Bronze "Fiesta Tango" dance, while Riva's Laura Seal passed her Pre-preliminary Free Skate and Preliminary field moves.

On March 14 at the Laurel Ice Gardens, Emma Wiedmaier of Upper Marlboro passed the Novice field moves test.

Piney Orchard Skaters Earn 17 Medals at Annapolis Competition

Denton's Ashley Peterson and Gregory Triantafillides of Annapolis captured three gold medals each on the final day of the events at the annual "Skate Annapolis" Figure Skating Competition, held March 1 and 2 at the U.S. Naval Academy's Dahlgren Hall in Annapolis. The two skaters helped the Odenton-based Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team capture 17 total medals in the two-day Ice Skating Institute (ISI) event, sponsored by the Tucker Road Figure Skating Club of Fort Washington, Md. All of Peterson's three gold medals were earned in solo events. She captured first place in Freestyle 5 competition, earned a second gold medal two-hours later in a Freestyle 5 spotlight event, then finished her day by winning the top prize in the Artistic Freestyle 5 category. Triantafillides earned two of his three gold medals in solo events, winning a Beta Spotlight and a Freestyle event. He also teamed with his father, Greg, for a family spotlight gold medal.

Piney Orchard skaters earned five other gold medals in the two-day event. Devin Brooks of Fort Meade captured first place in her Delta Freestyle event, Pasadena's Meredith Layfield was a winner in her Delta Spotlight event, and April Nasiatka of Annapolis earned a gold medal in Freestyle 1 Spotlight, following her fifth place finish in Freestyle 1 competition. Odenton's Audrey Simmons won a gold medal in Pre-Alpha Spotlight, while the Crofton combination of Annie Rackley and Megan Stilling captured top honors in the couples spotlight category.

POFST members also took one individual silver medal and four individual bronze medals. Jennifer Christie was the silver medalist, a second place finisher in her Delta Freestyle category. Bronze medalists included Annie Rackley (Artistic Freestyle 4), Crofton's Jessica Kennedy (Freestyle 4), Pasadena's Rachel Layfield (Freestyle 3) and Crownsville's Melissa Stanley (Freestyle 3).

The Piney Orchard Icettes synchronized skating squad earned the final bronze medal, finishing third in their youth competition. Synchro skaters include Rackley, Stilling, Kennedy, Stanley, Rachel Layfield, Megan and Alexandra Barrett, Danielle Furlong, Laura Seal, Kaitlyn Wilson, Nahomy Rojas, and Melissa Windsor. Five other Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team competitors earned gold medals while skating for two separate Bowie Metroliner squads. In teen competition, Carli Jenkins and Emma Wiedmaier earned gold medals with Metroliners Teen Squad, while the trio of Evelyn Shapter, Gina Blades and Lindsey Flood were part of the first place Metroliners youth synchro team.


Three Piney Orchard Skaters Medal at USFSA CRC Competition

Three members of the Piney Orchard Figure Skating Team earned medals at the U.S. Figure Skating Association’s Capital Regional Council competition, held March 8 and 9 at the U.S. Naval Academy’s Dahlgren Hall in Annapolis.

Leading the way for the Odenton-based skating team was Severn’s Christina Flood, who earned a third place overall medal in the ladies Intermediate freestyle competition. Flood was a fifth place finisher in her Intermediate short program, then rallied for a third place performance in her long program -- giving her a bronze medal for the entire event.

Also medaling in the two-day competition was Odenton’s Danielle Furlong, a fifth place finisher in the Preliminary Freestyle competition held March 8. Brittany Ward of Crofton earned a bronze medal for her third place finish in "No-Test" Freestyle.

Other Piney Orchard skaters who competed in Annapolis include Megan Stilling, Evelyn Shapter and Caitlin Farnan (No Test); Katie Allen (Pre-Preliminary Compulsory and Pre-Preliminary Freestyle), Jessica Kennedy, Suzanne Lardeo and Annie Rackley (Pre-Preliminary Freestyle); and Shannon Flood (Preliminary Freestyle).

Dustin Cohen and Kendall Church skated in a Juvenile Pairs exhibition, but did not compete.